
iiiiil ; 
ii:' '"^ 






.a; 





Wy' 



^jQm *J^{0/^^^ 



t^^^iinijili' 



W 



'■W\ 



wmi 



M 






i i 



iiiSii 



lai 



l!illM!ii\: 



wmm: 



\\tvm\\ 




iiii 



i H;it,Vf 



;toiMiU 






lt\lilli 




rr-, >'"^ri 



A REAL HISTORY 




'^IMt 




•Jifm '^^■^^ 




f7 



A ' ' 



-^/*»' 



/ 
MAR 23 1917 



9CI,A460071 
'V^ .1 



NEWARK, N. J. 

Tom F1.EMING Cartoon Sykdicate 

191G 

Copyright, 1917. by Tom Fleming 



PRINTED IN NEWARK, N. T. 
BY H. MURPHY 



FORE WOR D 

WE KNOW oL'R i-UHLlC MICX llHST I'.V TiiK 
CARICATURES MADE OF THEM (g) THE PROSAIC 
PHOTOGRAPH OF A CELEBRITY WILL SELD0:M BE 
RECOGNIZED SO READILY AS A GOOD BURLESQUE 
PORTRAIT WILL BE ® EXAGGERATION OF THE 
PREDO^IINANT CHARACTERISTICS OF A FACE 
OFTEN ACCENTUATES ITS STRENGTH, AN 10 W HEN 
THIS IS DONE WITHOUT ANY THOUGHT OF 
MALICE THE RESULT OFTEN PROXIES AMUSING 
AND INSTRUCTI\-E ® THERE IS TOO LITTLE 
SUNSHINE IN THIS SOMBRE, VEXATIOUS WORLD, 
AND HE WHO DISPELS ITS SHADOWS W^ELL 
DESERX'ES THE PLAUDITS OF MANKIND ® LIFE 
SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN TOO SERIOUSLY TEM- 
PER IT WITH LAUGHTER AND GOOD CHEER ® 
THE CHARACTER SKETCHES IN THIS WORK ARE 
INTENDED AS SIDELIGHTS OX THE PERSONALI- 
TIES OF NEWARK'S NOTABLE MEN FROM THE 
HUMOROUS STANDPOINT. AND IT IS TRUSTED 
THAT THEY W ILL BE REGARDED IN THE 
SPIRIT IN WHICH THE^' WERE CONCEIVED AND 
EXECUTED. 



^ 



J»»-^,- 






Tl IH CH ARK/rEER Appleby, Ralph 247 

ALEXANDER Archibald, Alexander 101 

KING OF THE KIDDIES Aronson, Louis \^ 99 

YE ARCHITECT Betelle, James 229 

YE GUARDIAN Booth, Richard W 45 

"STOP" Breidenbach, Fred. C 61 

THE STRONG MAN Capstick. John H 89 

AT YE SIGN Carrigan, Charles A 87 

THE CRUSADER Colgate, Austen 41 

DRAWING THE SWORD Collins, Dennis F 11 

MACBETH Collins, F. W 231 

THE TAILOR Congleton, Jerome T 97 

MAN OF MARK Connell, Thomas F 145 

YE SMOKE EATER Crogan, Gilbert 251 

^'E SECRETARY Cross, \\'ashington M 213 

AN OLOGIST Disbrow. \\'i]liam S-. 93 

GULLIVER Dolan, Patrick J 221 

HIS GUIDING SPIRIT Driver, Frank L 1 1 3 

THE FINISHING TOl'CH Dryden, Forrest F 21 

ARCHIMEDES Edison, Thomas A 237 

THE PIERCE-ARROW^ MAN Ellis, Weaker H 105 

YE REGISTER Evans. Walter A 18') 

yOVE Farrand, Dudley 33 

THE CUP BEARER Feigenspan, Christian 205 

.VTLAS Feist, Abe 85 

THE STANDARD BEARER Fort. John Franklin 51 

YE COUNSEL Frazer Spaulding 17 

^L\N FRIDAY Freiday. William 233 

PHIDIAS Frelinghuysen. Frederick 2ft 

HAMLET Gray, Edward ^^■ 53 

.\ LEGAL DECALOGUE Hahn, Henry 121 

MERCURY Hamburg, Augustus \' 135 

YE MAN OF LAW' Harrison. J. Henry 63 

KID HAUSSLING Haussling. Jacob 243 

FIELD MARSHAL Fline, Edwin W 65 

THE PRODUCT Hoffman, \\illiani F 183 

THE ENGINEER Howard. J. W 173 



j^^'^'^^^'^'^'^es^ v/Atr/'^cV*^"^''"'"********'*'^ 









"'fff^f^f Z^^^^'i" "" 



A LEADING JUDGE Kalisch, Sanmel 75 

HIS HOBBY Kalisch, Harry 109 

SIR WALTER RALEIGH Kanim. Louis 129 

1666 GREETS 1916 Kinney, William B 149 

NEW JERSEY'S TOGA Kip. Ira, Jr 159 

MAKING HIS MARK Lehlbach, Ercderick R 195 

NEWARK'S PROTECTOR Long, Michael T 17 

THEMISTOCLES Mancusi-Ungaro, T 185 

YE MASQUE Martin, William P 161 

THE JUDGE Mason, Charles M 197 

DEMOSTHENES Matthews, John A 49 

COLOSSUS OF ROADS McCarter, Thomas N 225 

YE SARTORIAL KNIGHT McGuire, James J 141 

THE IRON-BOUND ]\Innahan. John F 153 

YE NOTABLE NEWARKER Murphy, Franklin 25 

THE MARKER Murray, Peter 171 

THE IDEAL Nowakoski, Alfred G 201 

\'ULCAN Nugent. James R HI 

HE LIANDLES THE CHALMERS-. Paddock. George 157 

PILGRIM'S PROGRESS Pilgrim, Charles C 57 

YE TEACHER Poland. Addison B 219 

MIDAS Randolph, Edward 209 

YE BURGOMASTER Raymond, Thomas L 29 

ESSEX Schickhaus, Edward 125 

THE REALESTATIST Schlesinger, Louis 37 

YE TOWNE OVERSEER Shipman, Charles M 18i 

THE GLADIATOR Shoenthal, Isaac -- 165 

THE SAGE Smith, James, Jr 69 

HERCULES Sommer, Frank H 13/ 

THE PROBx\TOR Stickel, Fred. G., Jr SI 

A MODERN MARATHON Stobaeus, John B.. Jr 133 

BEN FRANKLIN Taylor. Charles P H/ 

THE ELEPHANT EDUCATOR Taylor. Herbert W 17/ 

FISHERMAN'S LUCK Trimpi, William W 14/ 

RICHARD III Vander Roest. H. Chester 20/ 

AESCULAPIUS Warren. George L l-^ 







.-esO 



x^^ 



CIIAI'Tl-.R I. 



How the Newark Acorn Was Planted 




Ml'. Iir-^i nuialilc Xrwarkcr was the rcdouhiablc 

\nlifri Treat, an astute C"iiniirclicnt N'ankcc. 

who, pnihahly wearied 1)\ the too restrainiiii;;- 

itiliiieiice Ml' smuh"y siinipluarx laws, and the 

ineremwded ccmditidii ii\ the Xutmei^' State in 

166(1, resiihed t(i seek a new kind wherein he 

could make yood the suhtle significance i^\ his name, for Ije it 

understood that altliouiiii he had \i>n<^ heen a near neij,^lil)oi- 

of the New Anisterdaniniers, he was no I hitch Treat. 

That Treat treated the aliorioines of the new land well. 
in tact, better than the\" had ever heen treated before, is 
aniplv attested to In the records. \ eracious chroniclers 
relate tiiat he ga\-e them four barrels of '"beere" for a tract 
of land inhal)ited bv little else than bidl frogs and pollywog-s. 
When it is considered that litis was before the ad\eiU 
of those 'Colossal establishments devoted to the iiusleries of 
brew, and that the '■foaiu\ stutt" was ])robably imported, it 




A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



must be conceded that this was indeed a good treat for those 
innocent children of the wilderness. 

The true story of Newark's settlement has probably never 
been adequately told. It has never been related how earnestly 
Captain Treat entreated those hard-headed Puritans to leave 
their beloved land of steady habits and embark in an expedition 
to a far ott land to brave the stings and arrows of adversity, 
Indians and mosquitoes. 

At first his entreaties fell upon reluctant ears. Indiffer- 
ence, mingled with incredulitv. greeted his most vehement 
appeals and it was not until he dilated upon the vision of 
magnificent profits which awaited fortunate investors in 
Newark real estate two hundred and fifty years later that the 
shrewd New England instinct for bargains was fully 
awakened. 

In glowing colors he painted the bright future of the 
coming city — of the "Ironbound" district, the "Hill"' section, 
and — Prince street. 

But it was not until he eloquently described the gulli- 
bility of the red-nosed red-skins, who would trade their best 




18 




fMJh 



19 



A REAL HISTORY Ol' NEWARK 



land for siriiii^s of wooden IuUl^c^^ to give lo iheir squaws 
for beads, that his hearers tinally became interested in the 
excursion. 

Ahhoutih Robert Treat was a dctusjhty captain and a 
soldier to tlie core, it must not he inferred that lie was an 
onsangtiined warrior whose nnlv thought was that of war. 

Far from it — he was a man of peace. 

It was his iirni resoltuion that sanguinary war was to 
have no place in his negotiations with the Indians, or in his 
great scheme of empire. Believing im])licitly in the principles 
of peace as thev were understood in hi'^ dav, and not having 
the advantage of grape-juice as an aid to his diplomatic 
negotiations with the savages, he did the ne.xt best thing. 
Having witnessed the folly of inlaying the red-skin-game with 
implements of war, he wisely approached the unsophisticated 
spvages with fire-water instead of fire-arms. 

He planned better than he knew . Newark was baptized 
with small beere — and lo, and behold I — it was to become the 
home of some of the finest breweries in the land. \'erilv. 
great oaks from little acorns grow. 





•.'1 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 





On the nieni()ral)le morning of the day on which Captain 
Treat landed hi> Httle party of Ptiritans, the banks of the 
Passayak river were hned with wonder-stricken savages. 
They eyed the new-comers suspiciously. Strange tales of 
the pale faces had reached them. Although they prayed 
incessantlv to their deity, in their dealings with the red men, 
thev departed woefullv from the teachings of their scriptures 
and it was small wonder that the simple savages distrusted 
the pale faced strangers. 

But Captain Treat was a shrewd di])lomat. He was 
exceedingly anxious to ingratiate himself with the Indians. 
With this end in view, he tendered them copious draughts of 
tire-water to show that he was not cold and inhospitable. 

This had the desired effect as the red-skins were soon 
indulging in all the antics usual to an over-familiarity with 
the fierv liquid. In their maudlin state thev \owed eternal 
friendship for the whites and vociferously swore in Indian 
that they would remain friendlv for anv number of moons — 
or as long as the fire-water lasted. 



22 




TTlHIie 



FINISHING TOUCH 




Forrc^fralrficld Dry 
PrjjiJtn^of flTf PruJenliiil lyunnee. tj 
Compi"!/. IS V\t wortKy son of an able 
P l(//\ jire -nn aftpufil «Ro Soj ^cf 
'' '/' \ fimjtlf to perpetuate tin preal'wtrV 




23 



\ KEAl. HISTOR^■ OF NEWARK 



It IS however sad to relate tliat the pale faees took undue 
advantas:e of these iru-tin- children of the forest, Xoticinji 
the marked elteel jjrodueed hy a little free li(|uor. the\- ever 
after invariably ■•>el uj) the drink-"' heiore niakin- an\ 
atteini)t lu barter with the vcil men for ilie man\ bundle■^ of 
skins they brought to the settlement for irade. Tlii-> is j)rob- 
ably the origin of the very significant phrase — "Skin game." 

Thus we can now readily i)erceive how those slirewd 
Connecticut farmers were enabled to drive such famou- bar- 
gains for land in the xicinity of the b^)ur Corners, which has 
since become the envy and covrt of ever\- real estate mani])u- 
lator doing business in the thrixing modern town which now 
lies upon the lianks of the turgid Passaic stream. 




•2.T 



CHAPTER IT. 



Robert Treat 





OBERT TREAT was born of wealthy but 
'honest parents. This may seem highly anomalous 
to many familiar with the methods in vogue 
now-a-days to attain the qualification, "wealthy." 
I]ut the records state that his father, Richard 
Treat, was a man of great wealth and integrity, 
being possessed of an estate of 900 acres in Glastonbury. 
Conn. It is further related that he was the financial manager 
of the little community in which he lived, where he was known 
as a man of assured wealth and financial standing. 

It redounds greatly to Robert's credit that he selected 
parents so well endowed with wealth, in view of the fact that 
he was destined to be connected with many enterprises in 
which a plenitude of lucre was extremely desirable. His 



•2R 




... ) 



29 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



hitj;-hly sucoi-sstul life should serve to teach liie \ery great 
importance ol selectint;- the i)ro])er sort of parents to insure a 
successful career. 

Robert was liorn in luij^land in 1025. This fact brought 
no odium with it in the early davs before the signing of the 
famous Declaration of Independence, a period in which 
Englishmen were tolerably well thought of in many ])arts of 
New England. 

Robert Treat's mother was Alice (raillard, of an old 
P'rencli Hugenot family. The influence of this French strain 
in his ancestry may be traced in his manner of life in earlv 
Xewark. He avoided the "hot and rel)ellious liquors" in 
vogue in the settlement, much i)referring the light wines of 
Southern I'rance to the fiery rum and whiskey of the north- 
land — a moderate man was Robert. 

It must be remembered that in his day the drinking of 
spirituous liquors was well nigh universal. If Robert Treat 
were living t(idav. he would most iKobablv be a Prohibitionist. 





■M 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 





although it must be conceded that liis name was a rather 
inap])r()priate one for a temperance advocate to bear. 

Robert arri\ed in America when he was twelve years of 
age and was at once placed with the Rev. Peter Prudden to 
l;e tutored for Harvard College. Being a husky young chap, 
fond of outdoor life, he soon acqtiired an intimate knowledge 
of woodcraft, making many jdurneys in the forest fastnesses 
of the dense growth of timber which surrounded the settle- 
ments of early Xew England, ble acquainted himself with the 
habits of the Indians rind secured inf<irmatiiin resjiecting their 
characteristics that stood him in well in his relations with 
them in after life. How well he kntnv them mav be inferred 
ironi the fact that the jnu'chase of the territorv upon which 
Newark was built onh- cost a trifle of seven hundred dollars 
in trade, and the Indians were jirofoundlv grateful for the 
liberalitv of the whites. 

Ro1)ert Treat's earlv life reads like a chapter from a dime 
novel. He was the best Indian fighter in New England. He 



32' 




33 



A REM, HISTORY OF NEWARK 



was the idol of the colonists who called him "''Phe Good Angel.'" 

What the redskins called him has not l)een recorded, hut it v^ 

was probably ([uite the reverse in the Indian dialect. v 

In his Indian camjjaii^ns he was intrepid and untiring. 
He was never caught in the trap of an anihush, the redskins' 
favorite strategv hv which many a party of colonists was 
annihilated. Man\- a night, while on expeditions against the 
red devils, he would camp his little ami}- on the open field 
with a blanket of snow as a coverlet. It was war to the 
Iniife with the savages, who were bent upon exterminating 
the whites. Xo (|uarter was asked or given. Time after time 
the accounts of battle would wind u[) with the sanguinary 
phrase, "'rhe cal)ti^•es were all killed." (.oaded to fury by the 
treacherous savages, there was no mercy shown to the red- 
skins when the whites got them in their ])ower. Squaws, 
children and old men were burned to death in their wig- 
wams. No vellow-covered novel ever contained a fraction 
of the acturd ferocit\- of the warfare waged against the 





35 



A KKAL 111ST(JRV oF NEWARK 



n 
i\). 



\ 







Indians in King Philip's war In- the early settlers of New 
England. 

Yonng Treat was a s])artan in his manner of life dnring 
liis Indian cani])aigns. Xo mission was too dangerous and 
no adventure too hazardous for this dare devil of a soldier. 
It is related that on one occasion, when caught in a tight 
corner, he killed six savages in a fight to save his life — "Big 
]'V)ot Mike, the terror of tlie IMains." ne\er did hetter than 
that. 

Although Robert Treat was a sanguinar\- warrior in the 
Connecticut wars, he was a notable man of peace in New 
Jersey. Never once did he find occasion for a war with the 
Indians in the vicinity of Newark. He knew a trick worth 
two of that, "\^'ith true ^'rmkee instinct, he perceived that an 
Indian trade was greatlv better than an Indian raid, and that 
barter was better than batter. 

In 1660, when Charles II came back to the throne of 
Knglnnd, he branded as regicides all those -who were instru- 



io" 



.■^6 




3? 





PHIDIAS 

Frederick Frclinjhuysen.Pres 

oi hheMuTUALDENEFITLlFE 

iNSURANctCo.jike Phidias, 
ffie famous Athenian sculplor 
and aTchitecl,ha5 carved a 
name, already /amed.upon 
a Column of Strengffi on 
wfii'ch rests fhe great insli 
tution of which he is the |: 
tiead. His motto is — ^ 

ART IS LONG , B 



■ i J 1 f 



39 



^y, 




f'-^ 



al me service of IKcGOP 
oj NewJcrjcy.to fidKf 
't/ OklT tej ».nA coTiqfuor 



41 



A REM, HISTORY OF NEWARK 



mental in bringing' h\> father lo the block. Two of them. 
Goffe and W'halley, escai)e(l tu Xew England and souglil 
refuge in Connecticut. 'Pliev were concealed bv Michael 
Tompkins, a i)rMmiiK'ni I'urilan, in Xew Ha\'en. This, 
coming" to the ears of the king, aroused his anger and resent- 
ment and resulted in taking away the inde])endence of Xew 
Haven. The leaders of the Connecticut colony were dis- 
gruntled at the change and at once looked around for a i)lace 
to settle where they would lie beyond the intluence of "'the 
Christless rule," as they termed the new order of affairs. 
Robert Treat moulded these discontents into a tangible form 
and led them to the banks of the Passayak, thereby founding 
the Citv of X'ewark. 

Robert Treat was a nian\' sided man. During the first 
six vears of Newark there was no activity of government in 
which he was not the most prominent figure. First on the 
list of signatures to the fundamenlal agreement \\as his 
influential name. He was the head of the commission that 





U 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 





settled the buundary l)et\vcen .\c\\;irk and Elizabeth. lie 
represented Newark in the h'ir^t l'r()\iiicial Assembly of Xew 
jersey. He built the first .yrist mill in Newark. He was 
distincti\'el\' a man of action. Crnmwell was a soldier, l)ut 
n.o statesman. Treat was butli. lie has never been fuUv 
honored f(ir the i^'reat service he rendered. New Jersey's 
irreatest county should ha\e been named "Treat County" 
mstead of "Essex," of iuMToble frnne; and Newark's ^reate^t 
lhorou,:.^iifare niit^ht well be renamed in his honor, e\'en at 
ibis late day. 

\\ hat a g'reat lack of ima.^ination was displayed bv these 
earl\- settlei's in their bestowal of names lor new localities. 
'Idle maioritv of places settled ap])ear to have been labelled 
"Xew." .\s a result, the ma]) shows Xew Jersey, New ^V)rk, 
Xew England. Xew Hampshire, Xew lla\en, Xew liruuswick. 
New London, and the earl\- name for Newark, — Xew \\ orke. 
Will the\- remain "Xew" for all time? Is there no virtue in 
the m;iturit\- of au'c? A\'hat did the Duke of ^'(Md< ever do 



^44^ 



A REM, HISTORY OF NEWARK 



for tlu' great cit\- fni Manhattan Island tliat his iU-fax-ored 
name should he forever hurdened uiK)n America's great me- 
troijolis? And is there anv especial reason nr rhyme for 
"New" Jersey? Treatsvlwania would he just as eui^honious 
a name as that of a neighhuring State — after you got used 
to it. 





4T 



CHAPTER 111. 



Newark's First Real Estate Deal 





HE bargain driven with ihe Indians for the 
site of the new settlement certainly did not 
detract from the fame and reputation enjoyed 
bv the Yankees as shrewd traders. 

On the eleventh dav (if July, 1667. fourteen 
months after landing on the banks of the Passaic 
river, there assembled nearly all the Indians in the vicinity to 
])()W-wow for their land. 

With all tlie jximp and ceremony of which the savages 
were caiiable, thev proceeded gra\ely to form a semi-circle 
seated u])on the ground. High in front were piletl the sundry 
articles which were to be given to tlieni in ]iayment for their 
land. This was to he no r)rdinar\- real estate transaction. 
There were no searches of titles, for the good and sufficient 
reason that there were no titles to search. 



48 




'Wo ••;— "a To 





THE ^ 

S'I MD.'\RD BEARE R 

Th« ^rvctenV Rorr\on<; 
rewar<leol ttxeir etwinenl" 
«nert ty conferririd cJ»<:t 
clive to^zv*; upon, fh 
New^ Jersey 1^ ^s. Jone l\\e 
wi<e wiTK her <Jic Cindu tSM. 
Ciriier\.lormcr GiovernOr 
<JoKn Fr».nl<lin. Fo r C , w\i ,_ 
^^ Isorac a^Iofl K«r «;taii 






f ?7 ■ 

J oiM «r I I'M' ■ • 



51 






,i'7 ^I'f 
/ f "7/ 



■"' ,!('■ 







53 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



According;' to ihc cusinni of tiic I'nrilans, the i)riiccc(lings 
opened with ])rayer, and as the pale faces i)i%'ned, the red 
faces smoked — Imt kepi their eyes fixedl\- mi tlie Int;' pile of 
commodities before them. 

But the sharp "I'ankees never allowed prayers to warp 
their business iudo;ment in real estate transactions with In- 
dians, who bein^- heathens, were of course, beyond the con- 
sideration of the deity to whom they praved for guidance. 

\\'ilh great cerenidin-, the parchment bill of sale was brought 
forth, covered with seals and ribbons. This proceeding filled 
the red men with great awe and wonderment — awe for the 
great seals and nivstcrious ribbons, and wonderment at the 
sinster possibilities of the big mil of parchment skin — another 
.skin-game, perhaps. 

Samuel Ivlsall, after a great flourish of his imimsing 
stafif, commanded all to keep strict silence while he read oft 
the provisions recorded in the jiretentious document to the 
Indian interpreter, John Capteen, who in turn informed the 
natives as to the specified commodities the}- were to receive 
in exchange for the land of their ancestors. 





A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 





The parchnienl agrecnienl pruNidcd thai the Indians 
were to deliver a certain tract of land which included what is 
now Newark, JJelleville, Springfield, iUuunilield, .AJontclair 
and all the Oranges. 

For this choice lot of real estate they were to receixe: 
Four barrels of "beere," two ankors of rum, fifty double-hands 
of powder, one hundred bars of lead, ten swords, twenty axes, 
twenty coats, ten guns, twenty pistols, ten kettles, four 
blankets, ten pairs of leather breeches, fifty knives, twenty 
hoes, three troopers' coats and eight hundred fathoms of 
wampun. 

While these items were being enumerated, the Indians 
exchanged significant glances, especially when the ardent 
spirits were designated. 

It is noteworthy and lamentable that while leather 
breeches w^ere given to the men, nothing was provided for the 
squaws. Alas! poor woman! — she has never quite received 
her due in New Jersey. 

Seven hundred dollars is approximatelv what this vast 
tract of land cost the Puritans. A\'hat it is worth lodav — 



56 




57 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



well, gentle reader, jusl try in purchase one of the corners 
of Broad and Market streets. 

Immediately upon the conclusion of the negotiations with 
the Indians, the names of Obadiah Green, Michael Tompkins, 
Samuel Kitchell, John Brown, Robert Dennison and sixty-one 
additional names were signed to the precious document which 
made them landed proprietors. 

These names constituted an assessment list which bound 
them to abide by a set of laws probably the most drastic ever 
designed to govern a communitv. It has been said that a 
people are as well governed as they deser^-e to be. It is hard 
^o believe that these early settlers were as unregenerate as 
their rigorous laws implied — but, perhaps, the saying isn't 
true. 





.59 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



CHAPTER IV. 



The Laws of Early Newark 





AN'S inhumanity to man has made countless 
thousands mourn."' So sang the poet who 
philosophized as he versified. 



That the laws governing early Newark were 
strict need not be gainsaid when we consider 
the temper of the Puritan of this early day. 
There is extant a letter Avritten by Cotton ]\Iather to a friend 
in relation to the arrival of one, ^^^ I'enn, a scamp of a 
Quaker, who had unholy designs upon a tract of land situated 
along the banks of the Delaware river. 

"To \c as:c(1 and hcloi'cd Mr. JoJin Hizsinson: There 
■is uozv at sea a sliip ealled the irelcoiiie. z^'liieli lias on board 
an hundred or more of the lieretics and nialigiiants ealled 
Quakers, icitli JJ\ Penn. iclw is tlie ehief scauif>. at the liead 
of them. 



(iO 




61 




G;i 



A REAL HKSToRV ()F NEWARK 



The i^ciicral court has acconlingly i^iz'Cii secret orders to 
Master Mahiclii lluscoft, of the brig Porj^oise, to zvaylay the 
said Welcome. sl\lx. as near the i'af>e of Cod as may he. and 
make caf'tii'e the said I'enn and his ungodly crciv. so that the 
Lord nui\ he glorified, and not mocked on the soil of this ne-iv 
country with the heathen i<'orsliip of these people. 

Much spoil can be made by selling the 7i'hole lot to Bar- 
badoes. zchcre sUn'es fetch good prices in mm and sugar, and 
av shall not only do the Lord great scri'ice by punishing the 
-wicked, but we shall nuike great good for His minister and 
t'coplc. 

Master Huscott feels hopeful, and I 'will set do-wn the 
>te'-ws -wJieji flic ship comes back. 

Vonrs in ye bowels of Chrisf. 

.Sepfcniber ye 15, 1682. COTTOX M. ITHRR." 




V>n{ tlie wily A\'. Penii eluded the hlnod-thirstv Puritans 
and eseajied an unwilling- excursion to the Rarbadoes to the 
.^ireat disajipointnient of the Rev. C. ^father. 




67 



A REM, HISTORY OF NEWARK 





Under the guidance of such leaders the waves of intol- 
erance ran high. Let it not he imagined, ho\ve\-er, that their 
solemn narrowness left them devoid of humor and gaiety. 
There were many light-hearted souls amongst them who en- 
joyed life notwithstanding their sombre surroundings. 

It is related bv a chronicler ( of whose credibilit_\- we 
have onlv vague knowledge) that it was a cduimon occur- 
rence to see some old Ouaker with his long drab coat and 
grav hair fl\-ing in the wind as he ran at top speed down Aful- 
berry street, closely pursued bv a party of zealous Puritans 
shouting, "Back to Philadelphia, vou old heretic!" 

The constables never deigned to interfere in these little 
'liversions of the populace as Quakers were considered legiti- 
mate game, always in season, and not under the protection of 
the game laws. 

The municipal laws of earlv X'ewark (as recorded bv the 
same veracious chrouicler) make curious reading. 

"Dogs and Indians are not to be allowed to run at large 
after iiiehtfall." 



(iiS 




69 



A REM. HISTORY OF NEWARK 



"WhisUing irivuluus luno un ihc Sabbalh is a misde- 
meanor." 

"AH Indians killed by white men shall be considered as 
slain in self-defense." 

"Any one causing a church deacon to smile on the Sab- 
bath shall be pilloried." 

One of the laws was somewhat ambiguous since it de- 
creed that "x\ll painted faces are an abomination in the sight 
of the Lord." Whether this referred to the fair maidens of 
the day, or to the degenerate Indians, is not quite clear. If 
it was meant to interfere with one of the prerogatives of 
the fair sex, we presume it met with the same fate that simi- 
lar laws meet with in this twentieth century, and encountered 
the scorn deserved by man-made laws that attempt to regulate 
the ways of the lietter sex. The laws were .so fracturable 
that more than ordinarv \igilance was reqtiired of the custo- 
dians of the peace. 

If an over-hastv settler sttibbed his toe and in his ex- 
tremity used more or less explosive language, he broke the 





71 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 




law against turning the air lilne (an infraction ot a l)lue 
law) and was severely punished. 

The early laws were strict — \-erv strict — so strict in fact. 
that it is said they knocked all the humor out of the ^joor In.- 
dians, as no one ever ohserved a red-^kin laughing after the 
ihe pale faces had arrived. 



?5?^' 




.^ 




- .u^i^ry^^ ■ 



Gen D.F Collins of Elizcx 



i<; a> ■^oldicrlv Dem ocr;\T , 3^na 



e\ democrsvtic Soldier A true 
<on of M2\T-'^ , Txe. i^ ever readv 
lo drcNvv rii<; «.\^'orol in a 6ooa 
ca.u^e r^ Hi^ To a. si is 
'■ E) ; z^^■bel-^-l■owr^ join, ^\\^ EW^'^^M^^^^ ■^'r^ 1 



VcMiTi;ver<50.ry of its t;rH?,yWfe/^.?/^f%^?^^t^' ,vf;^;f; 






FATHER NEWt^ 



Spaul h.'m a Tr 



r sv. z e ?• 15 

City Court 5 el oF NewapTc. 
WKei-v FaHiai' Newsvi''k Calj 

letfivllv-tll Ke ^isNpi-iojes 

klj illeds^lily Ewn^ pnejcriljtj 

from ^iJj Lep 




A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



CHAT'TF.R V. 



A Contrast of Puritan and Dutch 




HERE were no Public Libraries in ihe primi- 
tive days of Newark. l'.ut this by no means 
signifies thai hterature was at a low ebb. 

Books they had a-plenty. There were 
Bibles, Prayer Books and Hymn Books. There 
were also Hymn Books, Prayer Books and 
Bibles. In addition they had P.unyan's Pilgrim's Progress. 

For a steady, continuous literary diet, Bunyan's Pil- 
o-rmi's Progress can ])e depended upon. It will soothe to slum- 
ber the most perturlied spirit. As a sure remed>- for insomnia 
it has no equal in the pharmacopia of literature. 

Those uneasy spirits who desired Ayorks of a more excu- 
ing character found recreation in Cotton Mather's militant 
sermons: in the yirile Discourses of Dr. Dyke and Parson 
Pearson : and in such books as "The A^illanies .^.f Quakerdom 
Reyealed." and "Deyils Cast Out." 



w^ii:.^, M 6t„j.a„ 




TO 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 





It is true, Will Shakepeare's Plays were just published 
and had proved very popular in London, but the}- reeked too 
much of the theatre to find favor with the I'uritans of early 
Newark. 

In these days of yellow journals with pages devoted U> 
baseball scores, and comic pictures done in rag-time art 
which drive many readers into a chronic state of melancholia, 
it is a relief to witness the unanimity with which the Bible 
was read by the simple folk of the seventeenth century. 

Everyone read the Bible. It was read as a duty; it was 
read as a diversion. The wicked wishing to become good, 
the good wishing to become more righteous, read the good 
book morning, noon and night. 

It was sometimes read as a penance bv the unruly \\ ho were 
condemned by their elders to read and re-read chapter after 
chapter as a corrective just as they were ordered to take blue- 
mass for a headache. That this state of affairs should lead 
to Blue Laws was l:)ut natural. The laws were blue because 
the communitv saw blue. 

It mattered nothing to them that thev were dubbed 
"Blue-noses." They took to blue as their national color — 
hence lersev blue for the Jcrsev Blues; and Jersev blue is the 



80 




■rirs^ss 



'/''refll G.Stic)^ (Jr., SurPodA^le 
ofTi'^cex Co., IS Itie R rot a lor J^ni a^u- 

rvo toelteve"v in 

[ne c en plural in junction - Prove 

all rhindc. csnd lioI<l on lo That 

wnich !<; doool. It »< wor- 

llry of nole Hijvl SuiTodjIe/ 
^tict^el i<; H\e youtipy 




81 



A REAL IIISTCJRY OK NEWARK 



color today for all Jcrscynien. I'.ut these Roiincl-hcads were 
a good people, an upright peoiile, so upright thai in their 
eagerness to walk uj)right they actually leaned hack, and it 
is averred that thev would ha\-e no music played hecause 
there were no upright pianos to he had in their day. 

Howe\'er, the reflecti\c mind must i)erceive that with 
all their gt)odness there must have been a dolefully hlue at- 
mosphere in a land where it was the custom on holidays to 
be all dressed up and no place to go — but church. 

The world is always young, and youth must he served. 
The wavs of the young people of early Newark were practi- 
callv the same as tliose of todav. "^'ouths adored, and maidens 
sighed. Laws might be passed to hold the old folks to a 
strict observance of the con\-entions, but never the fractious 
vouth. Regular attendance at divine worship meant to them 
opportunitv to displa^' fine raiment — and to indulge in those 
caprices of vouth so dear to the youthful heart. 

The dictates of Cui)id were far more mandatory and im- 
perious then than were the fiercest phillippics thundered from 
the puljiit. Demure maidens, bewitching e\'en in their plain 
ptu-itanical garb, cast sheep's eyes over the tops of Iheir hym- 
nals at the awkward vouths; and at the conclusion of ser- 





83 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 





vices, blushingly accepted proffered arms as escorts to thein 
respective hunies. Jii tlie evening they "datinced" the reel 
and other hunielv dances, bnt never the abominable P'rench 
"minuet," which was fiercel}- condemned by the sober Puritans 
wlio denounced it in the same unmeasured terms that "Tango"' 
and "Fox Trot" is denounced today, which shnws that human 
nature has not changed very much in twu centuries and a half. 
It must not be supposed that the Puritans had no sun-, 
shine in their lives ; that their days were devoted wholly to 
hard work and hard prayer. Latighter was not entirely 
tabooed; it was sometimes quite hilarious — around the stocks 
and pillories \vhere culprits were exposed to the taunts and 
jibes of those fortunate enough to esca])e the many snares 
of the rigorous laws — there laughter \\as loud and boisterous. 
Put the rigor of the law seemed to l)e no deterrent to law 
breaking. Tt is related that one Tabez Prown had been sen- 
tenced to the stocks thii'tx' times in one vear for ha])itua] drunk- 
enness until one dark night his liodv was found floating in 
the Passaic RiAcr — a terrible fate for one who had alihorred 
v;ater so pcrsistentlv all his life. 

After the Puritans many Dutch settlers from Xew 
Amsterdam came. These sturdv burghers were of a wliol]\- dif- 



84 




ATJLA 



% 



Ate FeUt .^ tke Allsvj 
f the News\rl< Real Ejti^te* 
WorU (4r^ Upon Inic loro?.cl jhoul-j 
Jei-^ re^l IKe re?.! Reevl Estate 
pi-otlem^ of FsstKer Ne\^3^rl<P^ 




85 



A UI'.Al, I1IST(M-IV OF NF.WARK 



fcrent nimild from the austcro. sedate and in'ini Kouiul-heads. 
With stolid inein tlie\ siucked llieir pipes C(mii)lacenlly and 
IxDthercd l)tU little abiait the iiiatler> that eoiicenied the new- 
comers iiidsl. il niallered little Ui them ii iheir churches were 
scantilv attended so lon^- as their howling;- ,L;reens were in ,^0(_)d 
condition. A l;-oo(1 hot dinner meant more to ihem on Sah- 
h?.th da_\- than a hot sermon in a cold church. The Puritan 
would invoke divine hlessin^" hefore every transaction; hut 
the Dutchman \\ould ^mokc his |)ii)e, finish the joh, and let 
it g-o at that. 

It was but natural that people so utterly difl'erent in 
character should clash. .\ rotund Dutch farmer, who pre- 
ferred working- in his garden on mornings when his neighhors 
went to dixine service, was approached by a selectman and 
given the oi)ti(^n of accom|)an\ing him to church or go to 
iail. The Dutchman, hcliev'ing discretion the better part of 
valor, comi)lied with the mandate of the law and listened to 
a long sermon in a foreign tongue. The next Sabbath day, 
U]-)on the ai)])roach of the deacon with a similar imjierative 
invitation, the Dutchman droi)i)ed the hoc he had been using, 
tr.ok out a voluminous handkt'rchief and as he wiped his per- 
sniriu"- brow, awaited the command — "CMiurch or jaiP" 





',11 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 





For a minute he ruminated; then he blurted out, "Me 
go to chail!" 

It is easily conceded that the ploddiu"-, industrious Dutch 
were good neighbors and were really a valuable adjunct to the 
new comnumitv howe\er much they diitered from the I'uri- 
tans in Scriptural interpretations, and it is a matter of recnrd 
that thev were on far lietter terms ^\•ith the Indians ihan 
were the ^ anokies or Yankees. 

But the nati\-es were untutored savages, not al)le to dis- 
criminate as to where their interests laid. All the world 
knows the de]ilorable condition in which these poor, I)enighte(l 
heathens were found. Sadlv deficient in the comforts of life 
and blindly oblivious to the miseries of their condition, t]ie\- 
could not appreciate the great benefits laid at their feet. Rum, 
g'in, wine, beer and all the comforts of life were offered Ihcni. 
And it was remarkable how soon they learned to partake of 
these good things. In vain they were shown the lienefits of 
a new religion, and were told to throw awav that of their 
forefathers : in vain they were importuned to embrace the ad- 
vantages of the white man's ci\'ilization and learn to enjoy 
its advantages; still thev refused to acknowledge the pale faces 
as their l)enefactors. It is sad to relate that these stubborn 



92 



BISBMOWSCIEMCE MUSEIM 

"XIEAiBM TT® TUBE Y®II7M EYES." 




A REAL, HISTORY OF NEWARK 



savages preferred tu grupe in ihe darkness ul heallieiiisni 
and revel in their wretched ignorance uf true rehgion. 

It is true, that before the advent of the whites they were 
sober, honest and trustworthy, and they neither indulged in 
theft or fraud, nevertheless they were pagans criminally stub- 
born in their refusal to see the light of the religion preached 
by the pale faces. 

It is difficult to understand the workings of the simple sav- 
age's mind. He was asked to give up a jntiful piece of land 
of no particular value to himself except, perhaps a few tra- 
ditions relating to his ancestors, and a natural love imbedded 
in all races regarding the sacred ties of fatherland or mother- 
land, and such bally-rot, in exchange for a glorious heritage 
in the bright kingdom of heaven. It is small wonder that 
the Puritans lost patience with such stitY-necked obstinacy. 

But the phlegmatic Dutchmen in the settlement had their 
own way of dealing with these Indians. When a simple son 
of the forest appeared in town with a lot of furs he would be 
handed a pipe of tobacco and a mug of schnapps before any 
attempt to bargain would be thought of. After several ex- 
changes of drinks and other hospitable overtures had been 
consummated, some reference would be made to vulgar trade. 





9.5 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 




1|^:^l[■l /Mum*' 



3:ot unlil all the arts of hospitality had been exhausted. Then 
the skins would l)e heaped up on the floor and after a few- 
more drinks a Ixiryain would be struck. 

Bv this time the simple redman was overflowing' in his 
love for the Dutch pale face and in no conditi(jn to take a 
trade advantage of so generous a buyer. \\ hen he awoke 
the next morning he was given an e}-e-opener and sent on his 
way rejoicing in another jag". 

This expertness of the Dutch in Imsiness methods got on 
the Puritan's nerves. C7etting in dutch was not to their liking, 
so thev resolved to go them one better. The Dutchmen traded 
for furs — the}- wraild trade for land. And so the "Xcw 
Worke Land an<l Tn-i])rovement Comi)anies" were organized 
to exploit Town Lots laid out on the tract purchased from 
Chief Oraton. 

The turmoil caused bv the Dutch occupancy of Newark 
and its recession to the Pr<i])rietors interest was responsible 
for much ill feeling between the settlers. A\'hen the I'uri- 
tans finall\- came into undisputed possession, manv of the 
Dutch wei-e taken into the coniniunit\-. It is interesting to 
note the form of the oath of allegiance imposed. An old docu- 
ment explicit])- defines the terms as follows: 



!)fi 




99 




i/oiii Jli" ; 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



"Vou du swearc upon the iluly Evangelists Con- 
tained in this Book to hearc true faith and .VUegiance to our 
Soveraine Lord King- Charles the Second and his law ltd suc- 
cessors, and to be trtie and faithiiU to the L,ords Proprietors, 
and their successors and the Government of this Province of 
New Jersey as long as you shall continue an Inhabitant un- 
der the same without any equivocation .or Mental Reservation 
whatsoever so help you God." 

This was the first nattiralization oath administered in 
New Jersey. It will be seen that the "Mental Reservation"' 
clause left no opening for the hyphen. 

In the good old days of Newark drinking spirittiotis 
liquors was almost universal with both Dutch and I'uritan 
and like most everything else a sanction for it was readily 
found in the Scriptures. ■ 

A well known settler somewhat under the influence of 
liquor was met on the higliwa}- late one night by the dominie 
and reproved for his condition. 

"Hoi' on Parson." retorted the bibulous one, "doesn't 
Timothy say, 'Take a little wine for thy stomach's sake?'" 

"Very true," quietly re])lied the preacher, "Ijut he said 
'little.' " 





lO.T 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 




It will be seen that our forefathers were wise men in 
their treatment of the liquor question in that thev decreed 
that the man that made a beast of himself should be held up 
as a beast in the ])ul)lic stocks, and should not be let oft 
with a small fine. Thus the punishment fitted tiie crime — a 
night with old stock ales or li(|uors meant the next morning" 
in the public stocks. 




104 



THE MAN ^- 
BEHSNB 
(S*THE PIE RCE-AIROW^B^I 




105 



A KKAl. HISTORY OF NEWARK 



ClIAI'Tl-.R \' 



Building the Meeting House 




I N a Puritan community the church was the 
central sun around which everything revolved. 
Ahiiost the first thing considered after Cap- 
tain Treat had settled his little colony was the 
erection of a meeting house. P'irst mention of 
a House of the Lord is found in the chronicles 
of the meeting held on Septemher 10, 1668. I'*i\-e men, 
Lawrence Ward, Kicliard LTarrison, Jnhn LTarrison, Edward 
Riggs and Michael Tompkins were made huilding commis- 
sioners to erect a huilding "Six and twenty foot wide and 
thirt\--fc)ur foot long, and ten foot l)etween joints. And the 
Town hath agreed to Leviee a rate of Thirty Pounds for the 
building of the same." 

This committee later reported tliat they had bargained 
with Deacon A\'ard. Sergeant Pichard Harrison and Sergeanf 
Ldward Riggs for the sum of seventeen ])ounds to build the 





A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 





house of the dimensions agreed upon. And the Town further 
bargained to have the work well done and also to have llie 
price abated. 

It will be seen from the foregoing that the Ijuilding com- 
mittee awarded the job to themselves, which is strictly ac- 
cording to the Hovle of modern high finance — a construction 
company within the limits of the company proper. 

At a Town fleeting held on April 17th, 1669, Brothers 
Tompkins and Johnson were a]i])ointed a committee to see 
if some of the townsmen could not be induced to "Lend them 
things that thev needed within iheir Compass to carry on the 
goode worke." 

In spite of the fact that there were no Labor Unions to 
combat, no Amalgamated Xail ^Makers, no International 
\\"orkers of Llewn Timber, or no Federated Floor Layers to 
contend with : and that no Twelve Hour Labor Law had \-et 
been passed, it took longer to build this "Thiri\-four b\- 
twenty-six foot" ^Meeting LTousc, than it took to build the 
Kinnev Ruilding a cou])le hundred years later, for it was 
not ready for occu])anc\' until the earlv jiart of Lt/O. 

But there were vexatious obstacles in those i)rinu'ti\'e 
davs that we little know of. The Indians, skulkiu"- about. 



108 







l(i:i 




Ill 




U'i 



A Rlv\l. HISTORY UF NEWARK 



stole cvcrvthing ihcy could lay their hands on, if not watchctl. 
^^'hen an honest worker would secrete a \uv; of Medlord Rum, 
brought specialh- from Medford. Connecticut, for the hard 
working- workers, some rascal of a redskin would, in the night, 
lay hands upon it and in a twinkling, drain it to the bottom. 
'Hie drinking of hard ]i(|Uors 1)_\- hard workers was common 
in the comniunitv, and so entrenched was the custom tltat no 
task could be comi)leted without it. h'.ven the farmer in the 
field would have his little brown jug in a fence corner while 
he plowed. The thievish savage pagans having no fear of 
the pale face's T^ord in their heart- retarded the good work 
scriouslv bv their dastardly practices, as the workers on the 
INTeeting House were not i^repared to send out a can to the 
'"Dutchman's" around the corner, after the manner of the 
workers of modern days, for the good and sufficient reason 
tint there was no "Dutchman" running an anti-prohibition 
joint on ^.larket street two hundred and fifty }ears ago. 

Captain Treat gave his personal attention to the great 
task of erecting this great house, as it was to serve as a 
Comniunitv House for Town Meetings as well as a House of 
Worshi]). He was the walking delegate to whom all di-i)Utcs 
over work were referred. Hi^ woi-d was law and no one 





11.-. 



A REAJ. HISTORY OF NEWARK 





dared disi)Utc it. He was a man well (iualihed to pacify the 
fractious and obstreperous even if it should require force to 
do so, for be it understood that the Captain was a Pacifist of 
the first order. It was he who first put "fist" in Pacifist. 

INIanv tales are told of his energetic methods. A sudden 
storm came up one day while he was engaged in preparing 
the site of the fleeting House. IJeing short of hands in the 
sudden emergency he noticed a number of Indians lounging 
about. Holding up a gold coin he otifered it as a prize to the 
Indian who could carry the greatest number of timbers to 
shelter l)efore the coming of the rain. In a few minutes he 
had the satisfaction of seeing all his material well housed 
before the breaking of the storm and awarded the ])rize to a 
big husk\- savage who had done the most work, and he also 
awarded a jug of rum to the rest as a consolation prize. 

The method employed in building was curious. The 
timbers, hand-hewn almost as smooth as modern mach.iuer_\- 
cf today could make them, were laid upon the ground to a 
carefullv measured scale and the entire side of the structure 
was built in as it lav. l{ach of the four sides were constructed 
in this wa\-, care being taken to have the liases placed ex- 
actlv where the\' would e\enluall\' stand. Then a dav was 



IIG 



fiiMMfflj^f 




117 



A KHAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



scl apart fur a raising in which every ablc-budicd man ni ilic 
cuniniunily louk part, in the e\eni oi the cunslruclion oi su 
great a pubhc building, this was made a great occasion and 
the day declared a general holiday. 

in the early niurnuig all the men assembled lo the task. 
W ith long ropes and poles, and a mighty concerted elfuri, the 
sides of the big building were raised upright and pinned to- 
gether with stout wooden pins. Then the heav)- beams were 
placed in position and joists attached read}' for roof and 
flooring. 

This work consumed the greater part of the morning ami 
when the hea\'v work was finally completed everybody as- 
sembled for the big dinner that had been prepared by the 
willing hands of the women. For the rest of the day all was 
merriment and a general holiday air prevailed. Games of all 
kinds were indulged in — Bowling, Quoits, Running, ^^'rest- 
ling and Jumping, etc., engaged the attention of the majority 
of the men, while the girls played at the pastimes at which 
thev were familiar, and at others in which they were even 
more proficient — the seductive games of Dan Cupid. 

As tea and cofl-'ee was unknown, strong drinks were the 
ctistom and as human nature was the same then as now. 
some of the celebrants became undulv hilarious, so much so 




ll!l 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 




th.'it it was necessary to admonish them tlial wiiile tliey came 
to raise a church they shnnld not consider that a sufticient 
license to raise the place so frequently mentioned in church. 

Around the bi^- .Meeting- House centered all that was 
iiiiportant in the communit}'. v^ituated on the main thorough- 
fare (which is now Broad street) to all intents and ])urposes 
it was the Citv Hall, as well as the Spiritual Temple of the 
little hamlet. 

Right opposite was what is now known as llrantortl 
place, and directly north was the home of Ro1)ert Treat on 
land now occupied by the Kinney lluilding. In a diagonal 
direction, to the northwest was the Town Pump, or ^vatcring" 
place, as it was then called. Here it was possible at any time 
in the dav or night to get a ilrink of water when thirsty. 

'J'his v,-as an ancient usage. As it is not the custom to use 
water as a beverage in these advanced, progressive and en- 
lightened davs, there is now no public Town Pump at Ih'oad 
and Market streets. Iktt the world moves on and fashions 
and customs change. AA'e marvel at the strange ]M-actice of 
drinking water two hundred and fifty years ago — bttt whv 
marvel? ,Some historian, two centuries and a half iyon\ now 
mav record with wonderment, tinged with incre(Iulit\', the 
amazing discovery that in the twentieth centur^• people were 
seen drinking beverages called "Tee Cream v^odas." 



151) 




121 



rr.-i.iS^?'f^':'^rJ:-:iX4-.i'-i^f^:^^X'^t?'^^^ 




123 




■ESSEX' 



y THE mYOR Of ESSETOfT^ 




-J — ^-y 

Y Edward ScTiicVKskuj. E^5 Sup Y^ 
visor of IKe Bo--m-J of FrocTiole3c ^5 
n r\ c exercised all iKe functio 15 
of t)ic Mivvoratlv of Cj^ex County 

wnrcK w£v5 eKcellenI lor-Evctic f 
for fine office of Msvyoi- of K' 
Newark . whi c n hij Iriend 
[o rr 
N<?w^»'k's L eaol » »\p Cuireit, 

IS ne — Lcz^cJii-\9 iru tM 
umber 0/ vote5 *^'^S^ 



ij y ijys 



>f 




125 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 

Un ihe front ol ihc Alecling IJuuse was placed a large 
bulletin board whereon were posted notices of sermons to be 
preached, and services to be held witliin the church, proclama- 
tions from the "Authorit};"' and the latest things in Blue 
Laws. The populace kept a strict eye on the latter, lest, 
through some inad\ertency they should feel inclined to kiss 
their wives, for instance, and thereby become guilty of break- 
ing some nnforseen law, as ignorance of a Blue Law was 
no excuse and carried no immunit}- in the eyes of the 
"Authority." 

Man}' strange proclamations were posted on this famous 
Ijulletin board. Prohibition was the tenor of most of these 
edicts. Not the Prohibition, which, in modern times has 
come to mean the abolition of a particular form of drink, 
but a prohibition that invaded every form of freedom pos- 
sessed by the individual. 

Qtiakers were prohibited; Catholics were prohibited; Jews 
were prohibited; L)utchmen were prohibited; Christmas was 
prohibited, and music, mirth and art was chilled and subdued 
with the prohibitory ban. 

There being no newspapers published in the town, the 
btiUetin board served the purpose of an official organ, ^^'ed- 
ding notices were pnlilished, and divorces would have been 
had thev l)een allowed, but thev were jn-ohibited. AA'hen a 



127 




A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 




man's horse, cow or \vife ran away it was duly posted and if 
a reward was offered for the return of the first two, tlie fact 
wduld Ije duly noted. 

A notice that long' retained a ])lace on the hulletin lioard 
read as follows: "Any vagrant founde l^eg'ging would be put 
in ve stockes." Beggars upon reading this, in their terror of 
the la\\-, immediately threw off their rag-s and at ducc as- 
sumed an air of wealth and prosperity. At least we assume 
this to be the truth, otherwise what could have been the good 
of such a law. 

The bulletin board in time came to be the governing" 
board of the community and a stricter government it would 
l:ave been difficult to imagine. 

Thomas Jefferson foolishl\' said that "the communit}- that 
was least governed was best governed." Had he lived a hun- 
dred years earlier, and after scanning tlie multitudinous edicts 
and ukases posted on this famous board, had gone abroad 
throughout the highwaAs and liyways of old Newark, and 
had a.sked the inhabitants if tlie\- were well governed, lie 
wuuld ha\-e received the stereotyped answer, "flicv xccrc!" — 
they wouldn't have dared answer otherwise, so well governed 
were thev. 



128 




%.,:^u...:..^ 



129 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



C'llAI'Tl'.R \'l 



The Puritan Sabbath 




iT must lie rcnieniljered lluil the I'nriuin Sab- 
bath observance began on Saturday afternoon 
and was a continuous performance until Sunda_\- 
night. These truly good people could not get 
enough of a good thing, so they preempted the 
"Saturday night" so dear to the heart of the 
modern citizen who utilizes it as a special night 
of hilarity; the night of the theatre, music hall and cafe; the 
night of drink, of dance and song; the night to make merry 
for on the morrow comes the Sunday to sleep oft the head- 
aches of dissipation. 

There were no headaches on the Puritan's Sunday morn- 
ing. There was no self-recrimination, no immoderate crav- 
ino- for a "bracer, "" and no dark-brown taste in the mouth 
of the i>ious Puritan as he arose fresh and clear-eyed on the 
morning of the 1)right. cold Sabbath d.ay. and sat himself 
down !o his cold breakfast (cooked on the day before) and. 







i:'.! 



A REAL, HISTORY OF NEWARK 




ic^- 



after breaking the ice on the water bucket, regaled himself 
with copious draughts of clear, sparkling cold water, after 
which he would put i_>n his great coat and woolen niitlens in 
addition to his usual garb, to clear out sufficient of a i)ath 
through the deep snow to the roadway. Then with all the 
dignity of one supreniel\- conscious of superior rectitude he 
repaired, with wife and family following at a respectful dis- 
tance in the rear, to the austere ^^leeting House wherein the 
th.erniometer ho\ered about the zero mark, and where, with 
nose l)lue with cold and tlmughts e(|ually blue, he awaited the 
sermon and participated in the services which his conscience 
decreed his solemn dutv. 

The on]_\- warm tiling about the whole ])roposition was 
the sermon in which was describe-d in lurid tones the awful 
heat that pri-xailed in that region jirepared fi>r those who 
failed to walk the straight and narrow path. 

r.ul all was not sombre within the ])urlieus of the little 
settlement. All the skies were not gray and cold. There was 
still the bright blue of the sun-lit vault of heaven. There was 
still the l)rilliant color in the jjlumage of the wild birds that 
sang in the forests: there was still warmth in the bright sun- 
shine. All nature i)reached a sermon of cheerfulness, of 



132 




133 




i;j.) 




• v' O mO I I'm I II /. 



13' 



A KlvAK HISTORY OF NEWARK 



beauty and of joyousness tliat contrasted stroiit;ly witl: the 
blue pessimism i)reachc(l in tlie little .Meeting- House. 

That the Puritans A\ere a God-feariui;- people and ruled 
their consciences rit^orously : diat they likewise ruled the 
consciences of those under them with equal rip-or. is well 
known. But tliey meant well. Karnestlv thev desired to 
climb the "olden stairs, and with equal earnestness they meant 
to compel everyone else to ascend the ^'ilded runt^-s, even if 
'twere necessary to use old Satan's hot jjitchfork to accomplish 
their beneficent ])uri)ose. To further this laudable desii^n the_\- 
thouo-ht it expeditious and necessary to take music and poetrv 
out of life. The only musical instrument thev countenanced 
was the hollow, vibrant drum and th.e onlv jiroper book to 
read, the Bible. 

But we must not l)e too hastv in our iudgnient of them. 
They were called round-heads. This v;as a misnomer. Thev 
v/ere a long- headed peo])le. Their rigorous life siJared them 
many of the inflictions from which we of the present dav suf- 
fer. No squeak\- ])honogra])lis awoke the echoes of their 
peaceful nights. Rag-time ditties, mris(|uerading as music, 
were unknown to them, and book-agents im])ortuned them not. 

Poetrv was voted sinful and poets were promptb- pil- 




139 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



loried. Pictures were declared an iiiventicin of the evil one 
and artists little else than his emissaries. Tn their estimation 
it was far l)etter to hang the artist than U> hang his nefarious 
work in their homes. 

'i'he celeln"ation of Christmas chu" was strictly interdicted, 
^.lany reasons have l)een ad\-anced for this singular antipathv 
I') this great holiday. lUit the reason is ohvious. Thev fore- 
saw that in time the ol)ser\-ance of this great Christian holy- 
day wiiuld eventually lead to the great enrichment of the 
Hel)re\\s who owned and operated great department stores. 
T!ie\' were wise in their generation. Thev were long-heads 
and not round-heads in any sense. 

The Puritan Sahhath was called a da\- of rest. Pnit this 
was onl_\' in theory. Thev were so acti\-e in watching the 
Sahhath hreakers, keeping track of the hacksliders and punish- 
ing the slackers that there would he no impro]3rietv in desig- 
nating it as their busy day. TUit thev meant well, and prob- 
ably Xewa.rk would be a better cit\' todav had it a little more 
of the Puritanical s])irit they tried to endow it with. 




140 




141 



A KEAI< HISTORY OF NEWARK 



CHAPTER \111. 



Personal Characteristics of the Founders 




HAT manner uf men were these yeomen who 
came from the hmd of steady habits; the hmd 
that produced wooden hams and nutmegs, to 
the far off banks of the Passayak to found a 
^great city? 

What distinguishing traits were they pos- 
sessed of that so certainly marked their enterprise for suc- 
cess from the moment of its first inception? 

The secret does not he very deep. The}' were of the 
ruesfed sort that thrives and flourishes under any and all 
conditions. Jn our day and generation they woukl be termed 
"hustlers" — "Men who made good" — "'hve wires." 

Of Robert Treat, we have ami)Ic evidence that he p<is- 
sessed a commanding personahty. A\'lTen we read that he 
was of robust physique, courageous and resourceful, ^\'e only 
g-et a scant outline of his character. He easily dominated 
those about him and brooked no interference with his plans. 




M;i 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



f 






V 



u 



V 




Newark owes much to this great man and the clelx will 
not he fullv paid until some enduring monument to him shall 
he erected in the most conspicuous place in the great city he 
did so much to found. 

Napolon said that a man was only as great as his ability 
to select able lieutenants. Captain Treat had able men al)out 
him. Jasper Crane was one of the most learned men in the 
community. He knew l)Oth Latin and Creek and was well 
read in the classics. Tt was he who wrote the parchments 
lliat i)laved so impdrlanl a i>arl in the negntiatiDUS of the 
little colony. Tt was he who cdmjjosed the imposing addresses 
to Governor Carteret and gave thai august functionar_\' to un- 
derstand that all his acts were not in strict conformity with 
the wishes of the colonists, and which made the Governor 
v.-ince and squirm. 

Matthew Camfield was another man well equipped in 
book-lore. It is related that he was a splendid penman and 
the beautifully engrossed Deeds, Agreements and Proclama- 
tions were his handiwork, lie was well versed in the legal 
phraseolog^■ of his dav. and the "Know all Men bv these 
Presents" which ])refaced the preientious documents of early 
Newark was his special artistic handiwork. 



144 




14.5 




147 




141) 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



Samuel Swaiuc and 'riidina^ jolinsun were men who a])- 
pear to have tigured ])r(>minently in all the negotiations car- 
ried on with the CioNcrnor. and with the neighhuring town 
of Elizabeth. The former was said to have been highlv 
gifted as an extemixiraneous orator. 

Michael Tomi)kins was a \ery strong character and a 
dominant figure in all public matters. He came from Alilford, 
Connecticut, and after Captain Treat was the most induenlial 
man in the community. It was he who sheltered the regicides 
GolfTe and W'haley, who flew from the wrath of the luiglish 
people after having passed judgment upon Charles 1. The 
refugees were two of the three Parliamentary Judges who 
had sentenced the king to death. At first they were hidden 
in a Connecticut cave near New Haven. Later they were 
secreted by Tompkins in his home at ]\lilford, where they re- 
mained two years. Michael Tompkins was one of the most 
ardent Puritans in Captain Treat's company and was one of 
the first signers of the Fundamental Agreement, that great 
document of over 4.000 words which bound tliC early settlers 
together like a band of iron. 




2?\i^^ 



lr.l 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



CHAPTER IX. 



A Retrospective 




XE account states that Robert Treat landed 
his Connecticut party on the banks of the Pas- 
saic river at what is now known as Conmiercial 
Dock, whereon is located an attractive Beer 
Garden. 

How appropriate that things shotild be thus 
can be seen in the fact that it is now the site 
of the busiest draw bridge on the ri\er — between drawing 
the bridge and drawing beer it is a very busy place indeed. 

Lo, and behold! He planted his foot on the bank, and 
it bcame the busiest spot on the river. He planted both 
feet at Broad and ]\larket streets and the corner [becomes 
one of the busiest in the land. There seems to have been 
magic in his touch. 

If he should return to this mundane s]ihere and in his 
peregrinations, wander to the spot where once he landed, 
and he should gaze into what was once the pellucid stream 



152 




153 



A REM. HrSTOR^■ OF NEWARK 



f)f the Pass;i\ak, and ho should sec its turbid waters now 
surcharged with great suantities of oleaginous matter re- 
dolent with odors that came not from arabia. we fancy we 
could hear him exclaim in his most vehement manner, — 
"Gadzook-^ ! Why doesn't the I'assaic \'alley Sewerage Com- 
mission get a move on?" 

If the perturl)e(l si)irit of the doughty Captain should 
become ])ossessed of the idea of revisiting the scenes of his 
former acti\ities let us in fancy follow his footsteps. 

We can see him wend liis way along Market street to 
that point wiiere Broad street intersects. 

His eyes irresistibly attracted to the large gothic-like 
structure directh- to the northwest, over the entrance to 
^v!lich emblazoned the word "Insurance" in bold relief — 
"Insurance?" exclaimed he, "wherein is the need of insurance 
of life or limb? I see no hostile savages about." .\nd as 
he stood in mute wonderment, a crowded jitney bus swept 
around the corner into a crowd of jjcdestrians which was 
immediately scattered in all directions. 

"Ah, now I can see the necessity of Life and Death 
Companies. Those demon gas-wagons are a far greater 
menace to life than were the red (Uwils in my day." 




155 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 




A farther progress along Market street would bring 
liini to brilliantly lighted Theatre entrances. Motley crowds 
were entering one designated by bright electric signs as a 
Moving Picture Theatre. To one born to Puritan w^ays, 
pictures were an abomination and no attempt would be made 
to enter. 

A continuance of the journey would liring him to an 
ornate marble-white building with "Justice" carved in letters 
of marble above its portals. "A'critabl) , a Court of Justice 
is here enshrined. I shall enter and ascertain what manner 
of justice is meted out in these advanced days." As he 
entered the Chamber an intonation by the Judge caught his 
e.-'.r — "and it is the decree of the Court that upon payment 
of the fine the prisoner shall be discharged." 

"Alas." he exclaimed, "justice is here administered on 
a monev basis. Tt used to be the Pillory and Stocks for all 
alike who broke the law. Xow. it doth appear, only those 
poor in i)urse are inmishefl for infractions of the ordinances." 

The familiar name of Tlranford ])lace ne.xt attracted 
his steps. Keenlv alive to all that transjiired as he ]iassed 
along he marvelled at manv improvements, nevertheless, 
there were manv shortcomings in his estimation. 



156 







f....Tu 



lo? 




159 




Hi] 



A RF.AI. HISTORY OF NEWARK 



'I'hc autliorilios should not ;illo\v ;i hcaiuitnl statue of 
one of their greatest men treated witli the it;iioniin\- with 
which the Lincohi l)ronze in front of the Court I louse is suh- 
jccted to under the false impression that such treatment is 
indicative of the love of the conmion people. 

"Zounds!" he exclaimed as he witnessed the si.^-ht nf a 
lot of dirty urchins climhing over the finel\- modeled fig'urc. 
"don't they know that undue familiarity Itreeds contemi)t. 
\\ ill it increase niv love and admiration for a man if 1 am 
to be permitted to ruh his nose Itriq'ht?"" 

Tn hioh dudgeon he resumed his walk along the street 
until he came to a low Iniilding from which there issued 
the sound of rumbling machinery. As he sto])ped to witness 
the working of the great ncwspa])er jjrinting machine he read 
the headlines on the paper being reeled off. T.arge type made 
the announcement that a great war was in ])rogress in which 
great misery and untold suffering was the consequence. He 
bowed hi.s head in deep thought as he commented, '"'rwo 
Inmdrcd and fifty years have not brought the millenium aji- 
preciablv nearer. T used to dream that war as a means ol 
settling strife between nations would come to an end ere 
this. The human race is not civilized as yet." 




163 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 




A\"lien he reached Broad street, City Hall, a large im- 
portant-looking building, surmounted by a dome, attracted 
his attention, ""^'onder must he the modern Temple of Wor- 
ship as I hear the people about referring to the city 'Fath- 
ers,' and those pe<)|)le ascending the great steps are apparent- 
ly the congregation assembling for divine services, although 
1 can hardh- sa\- that the\- altogether comjiort with my ideas 
of a religious assemblage." \\'ith this he (|uickened his 
steps and was soon merged with the throng. 

Once within tlie portals he was irresistibly carried by 
tiie crowd into the Council Chamber. A city father was 
making an imi)assioned address in the course of which he 
exclaimed, "^^'hv, sirs, he preaches economv, but I charge 
him with being a grafter, yes, gentlemen, a grafter." 

He was verv much mystified at this, as he could not 
see the improi)rietv of a Preacher being also a grafter, pro- 
vided he had an orchard with trees to graft, unless it was 
forbidden in these da\s for a clerg\-m;in to engage in manual 
labor, as being unbecoming to the cloth. 

After listening for a few minutes to the proceedings he 
soon came to the conclusion that he had made a grievous 
error in mistaking the Citv Council Chamber for a Church. 



1(;4 




16.5 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



As he emerged iroiu the niunicipal chaiiihcr lie- lo?! hinibch' 
in mehancholy nuisinqs. Carried a\va\ 1)\ the- dchisions of 
fancy and reminiscence, he imagined himself again sur- 
rounded by the shades of the departed, and hoKhng converse 
with his contemporaries of antiquity. A weary i)ilgrim in 
th}- ancient htnd, doomed to wander neglected tln\)ugh its 
crowded streets and elbowed l)y foreign upstarts, from those 
fair abodes where once he reigned sovereign and >upreme. 
Alas, the growing wealth and importance of beloved New- 
ark, he plainly perceived, involved it in all kinds of disasters 
and perils. A breaking away from the traditions of the 
fathers which were thought so hrm]\- planted, was plainlv ap- 
parent on every hand. The corridors of the great City Hall 
were ornately beautiful and their polished marbles undoubted- 
ly reflected the most refined taste, but the absence of all 
evidences of piety so dear to the jjuritan heart were so pain- 
fully lacking as to cause the spirit of the old Founder a pang 
of sincere regret. 

After a tour through the big building; seeing great 
sttms of tax money paid in at one window and as (juicklv 
paid out at another, and noting that many of the depart- 
ments were conducted by men who spent most of their 




t(iT 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 




oflice hours with big black cigars in their mouths and their 
feet upon their desks, (probably they did most of their think- 
ing with their feet) he essayed a peep into the ^^layor's office. 

That honorable official he found busily engaged in listen- 
ing to the appeals of a ward leader for an appointment for 
one of his henchmen, with half a score more on a similar 
mission awaiting their turns in the ante-room. "Egad!" 
he exclaimed as he emerged from the building, "when I was 
Magistrate of Newark the affairs of the Town were of more 
importance than the wants of the place-hunters: methinks 
the modern Mayor is but the chief custodian of the city's 
loaves and fishes." 

As he was about to leave the Mayor's sanctum his at- 
tention was attracted by the loud voices of a delegation of 
men who had called to protest against the closing of the 
Moving Picture shows on Sundays. 

"Do you want to make this a ])uritanical To\\'n?" 
vehementiv cried one of the protesters. 

"h'orsooth, and that was what we intended to make it. 
]>nt it is evident our plans of two hundred and fiftv vears 
ago have gone sadlv awry," and he meditatively passed out 
of the building. 



168 



A KEAJ. HISTORY OF NEWARK 



Down Broad street he strolled to Market street where 
he was amazed at the great throngs of people assembled in 
front of an establishment devoted to the sale of wines and 
liquors, the proprietor of which was on a second story balcony 
in front of a huge diagram showing the progress of a great 
game of Foot Ball. The crowd completely tilled the street 
from curb to curb, and as he marked the score of the game 
vociferous shouts of applause greeted the result. 

The whole proceeding looked very strange to one not 
familiar with modern ways. The newspaper offices whose 
business was the purveying of news, displayed no such bul- 
letins. Why was news of such evident interest to the multi- 
tude left to the keeper of a tavern whose business was the 
selling of alcoholic drinks? 

In olden times it used to be the fashion to hold meetings 
at noted taverns, these edifices being thought the true foun- 
tains of inspiration. The ancients deliberated on matters when 
drunk to reconsider them when sober. It is universally con- 
ceded that when a man is drunk he sees donble. hence he 
should see twice as well as a sober man. This might account 
for the multitude seeking a drinking place for favorable news 
of their favorite athletes. In no other wav could he reason 




li;:( 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 




Newark's custuin of imbibing the news uf the day with their 
drinks. And the spirit of the man of two hundred and riftv 
years ago ruminated at the strange sights he saw. 

Resuming his tour with eager steps, looking pensively 
for familiar scenes and localities, he at length reached the 
great granite building of the world's greatest Insurance 
Company. 

"What a majestic pile!" he exclaimed, "And I'm in- 
formed that it was built with dimes, and that it is as strong 
a? Gibraltar's rock." He then turned toward an elevator he 
saw w'aiting, just within the corridor, into which he stejjped. 
Up, up he went until the car would go no farther, when he 
stepped ofT and sotight a way to get out on the tower he 
had surveyed from the street l)elow. Noticing a narrow stair- 
wav he climbed round and round until he came to a little 
door that led to a narrow galler\- outside. As he stepped 
out a wonderful sight met his vision. ( )n every side stretched 
vistas of the snlidlv Iniilt citv; great factory chimneys loomed 
up in every direction as far as the eye could reach; busy 
thoroughfares thronged with ]ien])le on every errand: beauti- 
ftil parks; avenues lined with nv. ii])erless stores, shops and 
residences; in fact all that constitutes a great citv was here 



lT(i 



I :,:j'i i-; ;:.in)^:'J|fV'i''|i/i,;, -,,1; 



Ikiiiiii 






MURRAYS rOOTlALL BULLETIN 




ui 



4 



""''"^_i' 



';'///V/H/llll/;iilill(iMiiiliii» 

PullicWflfare and Civic Pride, 
Find Colonel Howard onfheir 5ioe 

A-ni like Diodene^ of oM, 

• Seeks Honecly aooi/e all dold 

.Now plans lic.eariv ^n'd la'e, 

\A Npiwapl<Char'terupfo isle 




A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



cnshrineil (ui the site selected by the httle hand of pilgrims 
from Connectictit two hundred ,'ind fift\- vears ago. 

As the spirit of Robert Treat contemplated the wonder- 
ful scene it pondered long and earnestly on the ]iast and in 
fancy, turned to visions of the future. 

"^^'hat have the coming years got in store for Newark 
and what will another two hundred and fifty vears reveal? 
'There is a divinit}- that shajies our ends, rough-hew them 
as we may." so spoke the great bard of Avon. There 
is truly a divinity that hath shaped great Newark's end. In 
another two centuries and a half 1 see a great metropolis 
extending from the Atlantic Ocean to Orange Mountains, 
all encompassed within the confines of an independent state 
fashioned out of the territories of New York and New Jer- 
sey, with its own legislative Ixidy t<i fcirmulate laws com- 
mensurate with the rer|uirements of a great metrojiolis. I 
see broad subteranean avenues under the great Hudson river. 
lighted brilliant as da}-, through which myriads of vehicles 
will traverse with great speed, annihilating lime and distance; 
all waste sections solidly built uj) with teeming industries em- 
ploying thousands of contented workers; laws a])proaching 
a standard of excellence not dreamed of in this da}- ; laws 




17.- 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



evoh-ed from the crucible of experience and expediency that 
will reduce man's unhappiness to a minimum. There will 
he no millionaires for the same reason that there will be 
no paupers. It will be found that no man can render so 
g-reat a service to mankind as to warrant so huge a reward 
that shall make his fellow men his slaves, ^^'ars between 
nations will be considered just as absurd and criminal as 
personal conflicts between individuals. A\"ar will have ceased 
because it will have been found that wars are unprofitable. 

"The principle laid down by The Great Republic, 'The 
greatest good to the greatest number,' will be the foundation 
upon which will rest this greatest city ever built by mortal 
man." 

Thus soliloquized the spirit of Newark's founder as he 
descended in the swiftl}- moving car to the street below and 
vanished into thin air. 




176 




177 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



CHAPTER X. 



The First Tavern in Newark 




RC^M time ininicniorial water has been found an 
unsubstantial l)everage. The camel can go 
se\-eral days without a (h'ink, but — shouts tin- 
man with a thirst — "who would want to be a 
camel?" Tiie animal nature in man requires some 
sort of alcoholic stimulant. The man who has no 
liking for strong- drink is very fond of sweets, the sugar of 
which ferments in his stomach, thus supplying nature with the 
needed alcohol it craves. The horse, deprived of any oppor- 
tunity of securing alcohol in his drink, is inordinately fond 
of sugar. In localities where alcoholic drinks are prohibited, 
sw^eet drinks of all kinds command enormous sales. Man is 
an aniinal. If you curl) his natural propensities in one di- 
rection thev will break out in another — 'Tis the nature of the 
beast. 

The Puritans early recognized the necessity of a tavern 
in Newark. In 1668, Henry Lyon was empowered by the 




179 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



'Xyj/iuiaWilP 



council to open a hotel on Rroad street on the site where 
Grace Clmrch now stands. Strangers had been attracted to 
the town and it was t'onnd inconvenient not to have hotel 
accommodations for them, accordingly he was authorized "to 
keep an Ordinary for the entertainment of Travelers and 
Strangers." 

Saloons have been called "Cafes" (although coffee never 
figures on their list of beverages), "Sample Rooms," "Dar- 
P.ooms," and "Buffets," but we have never seen one called 
an "Ordinary," in all our peregrinations. 

Apparently Lyon's "Ordinary" did not pay, for we find 
that he sold out to Thomas Johnson in U)70, and moved to 
Elizabeth. In order to make the business more profitalile, 
Johnson secured an order from the Authority that "All others 
are Prohibited from selling anv Strong I^iquors l)v Retail 
under a Gallon." This was Newark's first liquor license. 

Supposedlv the Puritans drank as hard as thcv ])rayed, 
for we find that they drank a l)arrel of rum at a meeting 
held at Johnson's Tavern. Pike the Salvation Armv, which 
does not believe that all the good music in the world should 
belong to the devil, the good T~'uritans did not jiropose to 
have all the good licjuor forever bound up in barrels. 



m 



180 




185 



A UKAJ, lllSTokV OF NEWARK 



Johnson's ta\ern \\-as the ral1\inL;- ])lacc for tlie town. 
Meetings that could not with ])roi)riet\- he held in the Meet- 
ing House were held at the tavern. Thev were fre(|uently 
of a boisterous nature, which is n^t td he marveled at when 
we consider the kind of licjuor the}- consumed. .Vn old 
parchment annoimcement of the tavern reads — Rum from 
Medford, Gin from Holland, Ale frnm England, Whiskey 
from Scotland, Small Beere from Danmark. \\ ater was 
teetotally ignored. 

There were no mixed drinks, and no soda waters. They 
were strong men with strong passions and recpiired ^-trong 
<lrinks. Men boasted of their drinking prowess. There were 
"four bottle" men, and "fi\-e bottle" men. -\ man's ability to 
master the fiery lii|uids was rated eijually with hi> ability to 
stand fire in front of the foe. 

The bar-room was termed the ta])-room. and the bar- 
tender a tapster. I'here was no Sunday li([Uor law. It was 
not needed in the earK days. Any ta\ern that would un- 
dertake to compete with the Meeting House on Sabbath-day 
would soon be put out of business. 

According to the archives of that day Johnson's place 
was the most cheerful and sociable resort iit the little com- 




181 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 




nmnity. His tap-room was a long hall lined with casks on 
either side, with a large oaken table in the center. At the 
end farthest from the door was a large open fire-place flanked 
on either side with high backed benches. Here, on cold 
winter evenings his customers would sit before a roaring 
wood-fire smoking long-stem clav jiipes. From the center of 
the room hung suspended a large candleholder, well supplied 
with candles which gave a fine light to the cosv interior. 
It has ever been the aim of tavern keepers to make their 
places cheerful and attractive and this place was no ex- 
ception to the rule. 

Other hostelries followed in fjuick succession and the 
little town was soon widely renowned for its hospitality. But 
a greater fame was destined to follow, — a renown that 
would be world-wide. 

\Mioever it was that invented, or first concocted, the 
famous fluid known as "Jersev lightning" conferred upon his 
vState a reputation that extended far and wide, into every 
circle of convi\-iality, and into everv clime. 

Most extra\-agant were the praises lavished upon it by 
its friends and admirers to whom it was known as the "nectar 
of the gods." Other endearing names, such as "good old 



188 



y@@ffi(g®(^ 



CrfD j 







189 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



apple-jack," "cider whiskey" and "cral)-juice," were Ijc- 
stowed upon it by its devotees and admirers. Its popularil\- 
was quite undininied for many years, Init its ultimate doom 
i.? sealed because, like the Indian, it cannot l)e tamed, and 
scon the day will come when its passinj^- will he mourned 
and its past glories will be sung over hilarious libations of 
pungent orange phosphates and sparkling chocolate sodas. 




191 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



CHAPTER XI. 



The OiTxe Holders 





FFICE holding is the greatest pursuit in 
JAmerica. Like an incuraljle disease, once it 
takes hold it never relintjuishes its grip. Men 
have been known to spend their entire lives 
running for office — and ne\er landings. A prom- 
inent Jersevman ran for everv office on the list 
from constable to Congressman, and was defeated every time. 
He finally made up his mind to aim at the highest oflice within 
the gift of his state, and was elected United States Senator. 

It is asserted by the altruistically inclined that the office 
should seek the man — but offices are not l)uilt that way — 
which is wh\- wc have office-seekers. Offices are like women 
— if they are to be caught they must be sought. This is one 
of the principal obstacles to woman suffrage. Suft'rage im- 
plies office holding. Offices have to be sought and women are 
not, by nature, seekers. They are the sought. 

Thomas Johnson was the first tax collector of Newark, 



192 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



and Henry Lyon the first treasurer. John Ward was named 
as Surveyor of highways — 200 years after, his hneal des- 
cendant, Marcus L. \\ard, was elected Governor of New 
Jersev — \A'ard — Politics. Seem to o-q tosfether. 

The first members of the General Assemlilv were selected 
in the early part of 1668. The Inn-gesses chosen to represent 
the town were Mr. Treat and .Mr. Crane, so the record 
reads. The title of "Mr." was not indiscriminately used in 
the olden time, and was a distinction given only to a few, 
like the "Hon." of today. 

The first General Assembly of the people's representatives 
ot New Jersey was convened at Elizabeth Town on May 26, 
1668. Representatives were present from Newark, Bergen, 
Elizabeth Town, \\'oodl)ri(lge, Piscataway and Middletown. 
Governor Carteret presided. The bluest of blue-laws were 
enacted at this meeting. The laws passed were of the sever- 
est character and in perfect confnrmitv with the ideas of the 
day. That the devil was in full possession of the e\il-doer, 
and the imposition of the most drastic punishment the only 
way to expel him, was the firm belief of the early settler. 
The devil A\'as exceedingl)' industrious and preyed upon them 
continuously — which constituted, in their minds a perfectly 




193 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



n 




valid reason fur continuous praying. Some of the laws 
enacted al this Assembly make curious reading in the light 
of today. The devil-possessed burglar was condemned to be 
burned on the hand for the first offense. ( )n the second 
olTending he was burned on the forehead. For the third 
offense he was put to death. This usuall\- settled the devil 
in him for good. A divorce law was passed \\liich decreed 
that the devil possessed divorced one shuuld be banished. 
This was hardly fair to their neighbors as it entailed the 
banishment of a devil as well. 

Holding office in this Assemblv was no joke as it carried 
a penaltv of 40 shillings a dav for non-attendance at the 
sessions. Small wonder the\' passed such drastic, contanker- 
ous laws. 

Captain Robert Treat appears to ha\e been the cham- 
pion office holder in the town. He was Chief Magistrate, 
Town Clerk, Assemblyman, Official Corn Grinder and Chief 
Vestryman in the church. If he lived today he would I)e 
called the "Boss." It is true, the salaries were quite low, 
^ not to say meagre, but "Bosses" as a rule, don't depend 

much on salaries for emolument. 

Stephen Bond, who had been a magistrate at East Hamp- 



1!M 




19o 




w-^- d. 



I'.i; 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



ton. Long Island, was chosen Coninmn Grander for liorscs 
and Recorder for all neat caUle. This oflicc was considered 
most important as it was the only fee office in town. It is 
related that he was very exacting in the matter of fees, in- 
sisting upon their immediate payment when due. The fact 
that a public office was a public trust did not necessarily 
imply that the legal fees of his office were subject to trust. 

Some of the offices created to suit the conditions that 
prevailed in early Newark would be apt to excite the risibili- 
ties of the populace of today. For instance Joseph Walters 
was appointed a "Censor of Morals and Reverence." 

At a town meeting held in November 29th, 1680 it was 
"Agreed by vote that a Man should be chosen to look after 
and see that the Boys and Youth do carry themselves reverent- 
ly in time of publick Worship on the Lord's Day, and other 
Days and Times of Worship. And if any grown Persons 
shall carry themselves irreverently, he is to make complaint 
to the Authority and present their Names; and his Word 
shall be accounted Evidence against him or them ofifending, 
whether the oii'ense be committed within or without the 

House." 

Officer Walters was over six feet tall and well propor- 




199 



A- REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



tioned and he is said tn have l)een a stern, unyielding- Censor. 
Church attendance was compulsory regardless of weather 
conditions. As it was considered an unpardonable sin to 
have, "living coals of fire in the House of the Lord," the 
women and children \A-ere forced to sit through a service 
of an hour and a half's duration in a wintrv temperature; 
and in addition, were admonished by a six-foot Censor for 
any slight inattention to the long droned-out sermon de- 
livered by the over-zealous preacher. It must be conceded 
that early Newark's Sabbath day was a somewhat doleful 
proposition. 




200 




201 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



CHAPTER XII. 



Newark is Captured by the Dutch 




X the morning- of August 4th, \f)7?>, tlic town 
druniniLT ])nracled the streets of Newark and 
proclaimed to all the people that "We arc all 
Dutchmen now !" 

News traveled very slowly in the seven- 
teenth century. A year hefore war had been 
declared against Holland by Hnqland and France, and a 
squadron of five Dutch vessels had swooped down upon 
Manhattan Island and had cai)turefl the fort known as New 
Orange and took possession of all outlying territory, including 
Newark. I^ighteen vessels of England had been captured 
by the Dutch on the route to America and consternation 
reigned in the English settlements. 

Formal possession was taken of New York and New 
Tersev on Julv 30th, 1673, and universal panic reigned. Crops 
were abandoned in the fields, li\'e stock was allowed to 
wander and all property was in danger of confiscation. War 
was on and dismay seized everyone. 



•20."? 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 




A large white flafj was raised on a great pole so con- 
s])icuously placed tliat its intent could not l)e mistaken Iw 
the conquerors, and the I^uritans of Newark placed them- 
selves at the mercv of the \-ictorious Dutch. 

A public meeting was called to discuss the situation 
and to allay the fears of tlic timid, Jasper Crane mounted 
the platform. 

In mind, poor Jasper was sorely perplexed. What was 
his nationality? Was he a nutchman or an Englishman? 
His good wife consoled him with the thought that rather 
than have all his property confiscated he had better l)e a 
Dutchman, so with great \-ehemence he exhorted his hearers 
to be submissive to their Dutch conquerors. Accordingly, 
overtures were made to the Dutch Council of War. and m 
accordance to their mandates three magistrates were voted 
for, and on September 1st, \(w3. Schepen Crane. Schepen 
Bond and Schepen Ward were installed as Magistrates — 
Dutch style. 

But great sorrow was in store for the Puritans. 'I'hey 
were commanded with all the unction of their phlegmatic 
masters to swear allegiance to Dutch authority. This was 
a bitter pill but they had to swallow it. The assembly at 



204 







306 



/'MY KINGDOM FOR A HORSE! 
} 




•iii: 



MHIMvS 



The BsvlbacKOrTielrind anol J^finin 









:30y 



y 



A REAL HTSTOR^^- OF NEWARK 



the Meeting- House on September 6. 16/3. was a gruesome 
affair. Only seveniy-five answered roll call. ICleven were 
missing-. They had sudden calls away and no one ventured 
to answer their names. But they were all marked, like sheep 
for slaughter. There was no escape. They would liave to 
take the oath or suffer banishment. The new Dutch masters 
were implacable. 

With solemn emphasis the words of the oath of al- 
legiance were uttered. Soon ex-ery Puritan was a full fledged 
Dutchman, made so by kissing the ponderous Dutch T.ible. 
Fortunately they were unable to read it which spared them 
great humiliation. To be compelled to read tlie scriptures 
in Dutch uould haxe been an unparalelled calamity and it 
is doubtful if many would have sur\-ived it. 

The religion of the Church of England was superseded 
l\v the Reformed Church to be maintained in conformity to 
the Synod of Dodrecht witliout permitting anv other sects 
to attempt anything contrary thereto. The haughty Dutch 
commissioners also decreed that the Sheriff should preside 
over all the town meetingfs. 

The poor Puritans were sorely pressed. Having, for a 
long time, enjoyed a monopoly of the suppressing business 




211 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



thev now found themselves the suppressed. How could a 
self-respecting" Puritan, brought uj) to read an English Bible, 
morning", noon and night, worship the Lord in the abominable 
Dutch language? The very thought was atrocious to the 
well-ordered, conscientious, rigorous-righteous Roiuidhead. 

Bfit there is an end to all thing-s, on Februarv 9th. 
1^194, Peace was declared. English ways and manners were 
restored, and the world once more took on an agreeable 
aspect to the jul)ilant Puritans. The Dutch Bibles were 
thrown into the Passaic river and divine worshij) was con- 
ducted in the onlv Simon-ptire manner compatible with trtie 
English ideals. The trulv good Pitritans were once again 
"In ve bowels of Christ." 




312 




213 



A REAL HISTORY OF XEWARK 




CHAPTER XIll. 

Newark's Dutch Gold-Brick 

ROBABLV the greatest game in the world is 
real estate speculation. Like a rat-tra]). it is 
very eas)- to enter but almost impossible to get 
out and like a quicksand, the more you flounder 
the deeper you get. You can l)uy a suit of 
clothes without paying a lawyer to search the 
records as to the previous ownership of the cloth, or the possi- 
bility of an unsatisfied lien of the builder, or tailor, or the 
existence of a judgment against the owner of the tailor shop 
wherein the suit was built. But you cannot bu}- a piece of 
real estate without first having every crevice examined, and 
every square inch of its surface gone over carefully with a 
legal fine-tooth comb to ascertain whether it is clean-titled 
enough to invest money in. 

The real estate game has ever been a game of trickery. 
Selling land under water first gave rise to the term, "land- 
shark." Something akin to this was what the slow, phleg- 
matic Dutch did to the alert minded Puritan when they sold 
them the meadow tract lying between the Passaic and Hack- 
ensack rivers. 




215 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 




This tract of land had been bought from the Hacken- 
sack Indians in 1668; 

For twentv pt)unds sterhng per annum fore\-er in Heu 
of the half-penny per acre, William Sandford purchased all 
the meadows and upland lying south of a line drawn from 
the Passaic to the Hackensack, seven miles north. This 
comprised 13,000 acres. This was the deal so far as the town 
was concerned. The Indians were given 170 fathoms of wam- 
pum, 19 coats, 10 guns, 60 double hands of powder, 10 pairs 
of breeches, OO knives. 67 bars of lead. 1 1 blankets, 30 axes, 
20 hoes, 1 barrel of brandy and 3 barrels of beer. 

William Sandford found that he had a little more land 
than he needed and bargained with Xathaniel Kingsland from 
the Barbadoes, for two-thirds of his holdings. When the 
war with Holland broke out, Kingsland got "cold feet" and 
abandoned his propertv. This land was known as the Xeck 
— which is where he got it. 

When the Dutch took possession of the government, they 
immediately confiscated Sandford and Kingsland's tract. The 
shrewd Puritans who had taken the Dutch oath of allegiance 
at once entered into negotiations with the Dutchmen for the 
purchase of this confiscated land. Governor Anthony Colve 



aitJ 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



was low in finances and readily sold lliem all ihe land thcv 
desired. A committee, consisting of John Ward. John Turner 
and John Catlin, was appointed to wait upon the (iovernor 
with the view of making the purchase. After much parley- 
ing, in which several pipes of tobacco were smoked, and sundry 
libations of strong liquor indulged in, a bargain was struck 
in which the property was bought for three hundred pounds 
sterling. This was a low-down Dutch trick, as the Gover- 
nor most probably knew that his stay would be short and he 
hesitated not to take advantage of the guileless Connecticut 
Yankees, although some historians are so unscrupulous as 
to assert that the Yankees over-reached themselves in their 
eagerness to secure a good bargain. But the Dutch Gov- 
ernor had good reasons for selling expeditiously, as he had no 
particular use for the land during liis short stay, and further- 
more, — he needed the money. 

When the war between England and Holland was ended 
there was a great saddening of hearts among the settlers 
who had bargained so hastily with the Dutch. Ugly visions 
of returning English rule loomed before them and meant that 
they had very slim titles for the land thev had bought from 
the Dutch. Consternation reigned when ihev realized that 




217 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



Ihey would ha\e to restore their propert}' to the EngHsh title- 
holders and that their investments were irretrievably lost. 

Their first move was to call a public meeting at which 
it was resolved to arrest Nicholas Bayard, who had conducted 
the negotiations on the part of the Dutch. 

"Why not lay hands on Nick Bayard," exclaimed an 
excited Puritan. "He took otu" money and promised a deed 
for the land. Now both have been taken from us." The 
Newark Puritans were much aroused and loud calls were 
made for the pillory for "one who has been gtiilty of a most 
wicked and awful dealing." 

A demand for a return of their money was made to 
Bayard but not a farthing was forthcoming. Nick was evi- 
dently a high financier in his dav. 

Bayard was finally arrested and brought before the 
angry Puritans for a hearing. He promised profusely to 
refimd the money paid him as secretary to the Dutch Gov- 
ernor, but this is as far as he ever got. He lived too soon. 
Such financial talent was wasted in his day. Two hundred 
and fifty years later he would most probablv have figured as 
a multi-millionaire in the realms of modern finance. Alas! 
he lived too soon. 




818 




219 




?^^S'5^^^S 









231 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



ClIAI'TI'R Xl\'. 



The Corn War 




Ml', iwii lliini^N unavoidahlc mi this iiiuiulane 
sphere are Dealh and Taxes — so it is said. 
Xiine esca])es the former. Inil of llie lallcr — 
that is open to argument. The tax-gallierer 
-H^has the eve of a hawk luit tlie tax-dodger has 
the cunning" of a fo.x, who hides in a hole and 
pulls the hole in aftei- him, so to speak. 

The first tax levied on Xewark was at the rate of one 
h.alf-pennv per acre. This rate was in pursuance of an agree- 
ment made with Governor Philip Carteret. 

When the Duke of \'ork received the grant of territory 
extending from the Connecticut ri\'er to the Delaware river 
he was ignorant of the true value of this fine stretch of 
countrv. Otherwise Sir Cicorge Carteret and John Lord lierk- 
flev would not ha\-e succeeded in purchasing it for the in- 
significant sum of ten shillings and an annual rent of one 
peppercorn. 




23;i 



A REAL HISTORY OF XE\\'ARK 



\\'hen Philip Carteret, a relative of Sir George, was in- 
stalled as Governor of Xew Jersev, he set np an aristocratic 
g-Qvernnient at Elizal)eth Town snrronnded by a large retinue 
of servants. Aristocratic governments require revenue. 
Hence it was but naturrd that his eye should rest upon the 

fertile fields of the Puritan settlers as a fine source of income. 

Hardly had the planters got ready to reap their first 
harvest when the\- were informed that a tax at the rate of 
one half-pennv per acre was about due. Totally unlike the 
people of the present dav. who nexcr object to the imposition 
of any tax whatever from high jjriced gasoline to extortionate 
railway fares, the sturdy Puritans objected. 

"Has the Governor paid one penny to the Indians for 
the lands occupied by the settlers?"' they asked. 

"Not a farthing-," replied Captain Treat. 

"Then why does he demand quit-rent?" 

"Because he needs the monev," retorted the Governor's 



messenger m hue scorn. 




Put when the grain to i)a\- the tax demanded, which 



filled two ox-carts, was delixered at the door of the augtist 



potentate in Elizabeth town, he arroganth- refused to acknowl- 



221 




22.5 



A REAr< HISTORY OF NEWARK 



edge llic corn as full and siilVicicnl |)a\inenl — he ])!•(.■ I'crrci 



com. 

'i'liis arciused tlu'ir anL;cr, and i^Tcal was tlic unicry al 
the greed n\ ihis haugiily niagnale — wliu so much resenil)led 
the predali>i"\' trust nia,L;natcs of today. 

Back to Newark they journcxed with their cargo ui corn 
nnd \\heat. firnil\- resohed that the\- wouUl see the greedy 
Governor in I lahfax, .\d\-a v^cotia, or some other chstant pkice, 
before the\- woukl pav their taxes in EngHsli coin. 

A second time the ettort to ])a\' their taxes in grain was 
attempted. ( )n New ^'ear's day. March 25th, 1()71, ( okl 
stvle ) Henr\- Lvon and Thomas Johnson, as re])resentatives 
of the Newark settlers, ])roceede(l to Elizabeth Town with two 
ox-carts loaded with wheat and corn sufficient to j^ay the taxes 
due to the King's government. lUit again the Governor was 
obdurate. 

luick came the grain, and the anger of the Puritans rose 
accordingly. Each ])lanter took hack his share of the prof- 
fered tax and defiance was hurled at the stubborn Carteret. 
"If the Governor wants his (|uit-rents he must come for them 
now," thev exclaimed in unison. 

Carteret soon after lied the c<iuntrv, after which the 




22; 



A REAL HISTURY OF XHWARK 



Newark settlers held an indii^nation meeting and passed reso- 
lutions denouncing" his tyrannous government, which they 
forwarded to England. Concessions were made which granted 
easier terms for the Xewarkers, and thus ended the "corn 
war." 








328 




22y 




231 







rcMs 
ILJM CL.E - SAM 

IJncle SivrnV m-^n frtdcsy 




333 



A RKAI< nrSTORV OF XKWAKK 



C'llAl'Tl'.R W. 




axes 



Ill'.RK arc two pardonable sins, according- to 
the averai;c man. One is to "duck" a railroad 
tare, and the other is to dodt^-e a tax-bill. 

In Newark on Passayak, it was all the tax 
collector could do to ^'ct the earh" settlers to pav 
their taxes. At a meeting- held on November 
14th, 1072, it was decreed; "That every Alan shall Bring in 
a list of their Estates to John Curtis and John Brown. |r. 
And if it be known that any one lea\-es out anv of their 
Estates. the>- shall forfeit 5 shillings in the i)ound: and if 
they do not bring in their Estates timely, they shall be fined 
1 shilling for every one they fetch." 

There is a world of meaning in this. It shows too 
plainly that the leading of strict |)uritanical li\es did not 
change human nature to any great extent, 'i'here were tax- 
dodgers even among those who attended the services in the 



little Meeting House. 



2^5 



A REAr, HISTORY OF NEWARK 





Thonias Johnson was the tax coHector. His tax office 
was situated on Ilroad street at Walnut. The periods and 
manner of pavnient were as follows: 

"The One Half of it that is to he i)aid on the first of 
Januarw and the other half before the last of March. Cur- 
rent pa_\- that will ])ass and is Acce])ted between Alan and 
Man: and the Town hath made choice of Henrv Lvon to he 
their Town Treasurer." 

Considering^- the i^reat wealth of some of the Xewarkers 
of today, the assessed A'aluation of the estates of the earlv 
settlers makes interesting- reading": ]Mr. Robert I'reat was 
rated at $3,300: Deacon Ward at ,S1,750: Samuel v^waine at 
$2,750; Richard Raurence at $R8U0; .Mr. J. Camtield at $2,500; 
Michael Tompkins at SROOO, and Joseph Walters at $900. 

Newark's first tax budget amounted to $R200 in 1008. 
In Rn5 it amounted to $6,850,000. Thus it is easily seen that 
Newark has grown sufficienth- to wai'rant a l_Mg- celebration 
on her 2,i()th birilida\- anni\-ersarv. 

'i'axes were i)aid in grain, as gold and siher coins were 
])raclicall_\- unknown. The tax C(»llector's otiice looked like a 
granary on tax collection da\-, but as all the bills owed by the 
town were i)avable in grain, the collector was relie\-ed of the 



task of conducting a grain storage warehouse. 



1-36 



// 




f^...^i,...:..\- 



•ni 



A KKAl. IIJSTURV UK NEWARK 



'riionias jiilmson. ilu- l:i\ colk'clor. was also tlic lavcni 
keeper. It was a iikisI pnifitahlc arran^cnu'iil tjial cnuhl have 
been de\-ised — for Johnson. When a settler crmic to ])av his 
taxes there was usnally a snri)lus o\er the exact anioniu of 
grain needed for tlie ta.\ hill, and this was carried back in a 
more condensed form, as for instance, a bnshel of wheat was 
erjual to a gallon of s])irits. and far more comfortable and 
convenient to carry in the lif|uid state, especially when the 
journey was I)oth long and cold. 

Tax paying has ever been repngnant to taxpayers, hence 
the combination of tavern and tax office had manv things to 
commend it. When the planter had liijnidated his irksome 
tax liill and his spirits were depressed, it was a most fortuitons 
combination of circnmstances that made it possible to have his 
.spirits again enlivened before taking his departnre from the 
tavern-tax ofifice. 

Paying their taxes in grain was a vivid object lesson tc 
the tillers of the soil, who had earned their tithes l)v the sweat 
of their brows, so they kei)t a sharp ontlook that there shonld 
not be too many tax-eaters to gobble nj) their hard-earned 
taxes, for we learn that the town expenses onl}- totalled $800 
for the entire year. 




2o9 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



Tile minister of the Gospel was the best paid of any in 
the colonv and he received the princely stipend of $400 for 
the fifty-two Sabbath days of the year. The Puritans were a 
frugal people and 1)elieved not in extravagance. 

It appears that corn was the principal grain used in pav- 
nient of taxes, and as it was rated at three shillings a bushel, 
a man could scarcelv ])av his taxes unless he liad a horse and 
wagon; or fed his corn to his liogs and, in the fall, tlrove 
them to the tax office. But some men will go to great lengths 
to pay their taxes — when the tax office is located in a tavern. 




240 



A RKAl. lllSTMk^■ (»K NEWARK 



ClIAl'TKR ,\\1 



Life No Laughing Matter in Early Newark 




IFE was a \-cry seriDiis mailer for ihc early 
Piirilan. He seldom lauL;iie(l. Laui^-htcr was 
mockery and lite was loo earnest a ])roposition to 
mock. "Lau.^-h and ^tow fat" was the burden of 
an old ada.s^e. There were no hroad, fat Puri- 
tans. Un the contrar\-, they were narrow. 
"Let mc have men about me who are fat," exclaimed 
Julius Caesar. But he was a Roman and nothing Roman was 
ever tolerated in a Puritan communitv. Laugh, and the 
worldly will laugh \\ilh you: wee]), and vou weep righteouslv, 
for this world is a vale of tears. 

The skies were bright l)lue, but the Puritan could not 
reach them, otherwise they would have been permanently 
sombre gray. The birds sang joyously as if in defiance of 
him. The birds were evident!}- not puritanical and knew 
nothing of the sinfulness of song. 

The flowers grew l)right with color in their gardens, but 




■IW 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 





woe betide the maiden so rash a> lo place une in her tresses uu 
her \va\- In die hllle meeting- hl)n^e on v^a1)l)alh nmrn. The 
first deacon she met would tear away the hateful cmhlem of 
joy and crush it under liis good puritanical heel. 

Newark under I'uritan sway must have been a most 
kigubrious place. At a meeting held in Feliruary, I08O, it was 
agreed to forbid the harlioring of strangers within ihe l(_)wn. 
"No Planter shall receive or entertain an\- Man or Woman 
to stay or alMde above one month within the liounds of the 
Town." 

It can safelv l)e said that the joyous celebration of New- 
ark's 250th anniversary would ha\e received the emphatic 
disapproval and condemnation of these self-same founders 
could the\- ha\-e returned to earth again in this twentieth 
century. 

Another resolution passed at a meeting about the same 
time quaintlv reads: "To prevent disorderly meeting of 
Young People at unseasonable times, it is voted as a Town 
Act, that no one shall harbour or entertain an_\- person or 
persons at night after Nine D'Clock." 

The night-watch had noticed, here and there, sundry 
persons in homes playing" cards, throwing dice, eating fond, 



•i\-i 




J o 01 "t" f e .'. 



24? 



A KKAl. MISToRV ( )I" XEWARK 



drinkiui;- cider and rum and otlicrwisc carousint;-. Tt was nn 
unusual thin^- tor sonic erring- ])r<)s])cctivc ])lanlcr. unused to 
llie slrict oliservance (if pniprielics demanded in earlv Xewark. 
to be g-iven his passports and re(|uested to leave the communilv 
if he (hspla_\e(l unusual mirlli. 

A isitors coming" from neighhoring" colonies or across the 
seas were not allowed to tarrv if it was suspected that their 
levity would in any way detract from the pious life of the 
Puritans. 

For a period of fortv vears strangers were not welcome in 
Puritan Xewark. WOrdlv goods alone were not sufficient to 
warrant an entrance to the sacred precincts of the saintly 
Passavak Town. Standards designated in the Pundamental 
Agreement were insisted upon and the most rigorous exam- 
inations were made of planters from neighlxiring colonies who 
v.'ished to enter the portals of the strict community. 

Fli])pant people, easilv given to luirth, were not wanted 
?.nd were ])rom])tlv shown the door. "Oo to Xew "N'ork if you 
want to laugh,"' said thev. "Life in Xewark is no laughing 
matter." 

This was all in U)80, however, and the conditions have 
changed materialK- since then. 'Inhere is still a great tendency 




345 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



anionic certain classes of Newarkers to go to the town on the 
east hank of the North river to indulge in much hearty 
laughter, Init this unholy propensity has heen greatly dimin- 
ished by the philanthropic railroads connecting Newark with 
the Great White Way on Manhattan Island, where mirth and 
frivolity i)revail. By judiciouslv installing an extreme rate of 
fare they have greatly retarded the flow of travel to the 
white-light-hearted district. How fortunate for Newark that 
the transit companies are so solicitous regarding its moral 
welfare. It is barely possible, however, that t]ii> is nut the 
precise purpose of these beneficent corporations, but let us 
not judge hastilv. Let us rather incline to the view that the 
railroads mean to do Newark good — with the accent on the 
"do." 




24G 




247 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



CIIAL'T]-:iv w 




Knowledge Linked With Salvation 

11 l{RE is nu rii\al mad in knowledge, lU'illier 
should llicre be an un<:^()dlv road." (|Uoted tlic 
pious I'urilan when he undertook to pnn'ide 
means lo educate the young. '"The chikh-en of 
these stern men were tutored m (lod-fearing 
wavs untik from being unregenerate and young 
vipers, and iniiniteb- more hateful than young vijjers. they 
were stirred up dreadfully lo seek (jod," wrote Jonathan 
Edwards. 

John Catlin o])ened the first school in Newark in '\(>7^. 
He was a rough, uncouth Indian tighter as well as a school- 
master. From the accounts left of his stormy career, it is 
evident that he was as (|ualified for fighting as for teaching, 
for we learn that he only taught a short time before returning 
to Connecticut to fight the Indians, where he soon after lost 
his life. Had he wisely remained in Xewark ■'teaching the 



£• idea to shoot." he would never have been shot in 



youn 



Connecticut. 



24!) 



A KEAI, HISTORY OF NEWARK 



Newark's first sclmol buildiiiL;^ was located on the south 
side of ]\Iarket street near Halsev in 1700. The primer used at 
this early school was of the type in use throughout I'uritanland 
at this date. Tt interniino-led stern lessons in nioralit\- with 
rules for arithmetic, grammar and geograph\'. Reading was 
taught that the scriptures might ])e read, and geography was 
only useful because it enabled the pu|)il to more readil\- under- 
stand the localities mentioned in the Uible. 

Newark's first High School was established Iw Dr. Burr, 
the father of Aaron P.urr, in 17o(>. His school taught Latin 
and Greek, and was intended as a preparatory for boys for 
the uniyersity. For eight years the College of New Jersey, 
now known as Princeton I'niyersity, was located in Ne\\-ark. 

Newark suffered a great loss when it permitted Prince- 
ton College to leaye its conlines. It would today be known as 
"'Phe College of New Jersey," and the name of a "I'rince"' 
v/ould haye no part in its makeup. 




250 



>)(§ 



YE SMOKE EATERS 



Gilterl E-Crod2>.n, Pre<si3enq 



1^^ QI ihe Boz^r3 of Fire ConimK^ 










■■■-' .;J 


-. 


.f-:,:#^^^ 


ll^ml •( ';. 




-' ■'■■■: ,-r^^^ ■"■■ 






""s 

i 


■v^" 


- ">.-^ 


-!•?■ 


\:iil^ 


sr 





251 



A REAL HISTORY ()!• XI'.W ARK 



CllAi'Tl<:k WIN. 



The Indians 




111''. Indian lias rarclx had a yood word said lor 



Inni. Ik' has hccn reviled in cN'crv tiin<4ue. lie 
has hern called Ireacherous and cruel. lie has 
heen swindled, coerced and nialtrealed in every 
wav. (k-neral Sheridan said ihc onl\- L^ood 
Indian was a dead Indian. Unl he has some 
good points — he makes a ^'ood dnnim\- for a ci^ar store. This 
is ahoul as far as the wliite man \\\\\ s^d in his hehalt. 

Lord P)acon declared that they were ])roscril)e(l hy the 
iaws ot nature as ihev had a barbarous custom of cannibalism. 
Certain dix'ines of the si.xteenth centur\- affirmed that they 
"were two-leg-o-ed brute-- who went naked antl had no beards. 
'I'hey were of copper complexion and it was the same as if 
they were nei^'roes, and negroes were black, and black was 
the color of the de\il. Therefore they should be extermin- 
ated," said the ])ious fathers. 

That the Indian was well (jualitied to lake care ol himself 
before the adx'cnl of his self-aitijointed benefactors is attested 




A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 





to In- an account of what happened to one who hecame 
separated from his tribe in an im])enetrable forest. 

He had neither food, nor protection against tlie inclement 
\vinter weather except dilapidated clothing-, and a knife. He 
started a fire by striking his knife against a flint. He made 
fish lines from strips (jf bark, and hdoks fr(im thorns. Ih'eak- 
ing- holes in the ice, he caught an abundance of fish. He 
fashioned trajis and caught a nunil)er nf animals for food and 
fur. He made mocassins and a fur cap. He made snow shoes 
and fur clothing. When spring came he had a canoe in 
which he loaded a great pile of furs antl rode awav (ju the 
first freshet that came. 

The Indian ma}- have been delicient in the arts of civiliza- 
tion, Init lie was an ade])t in resi lurcefulness. 

Eleven years after makiiig the first Ijargain for their 
land the Indians a|)i)arentlv got thirstv again, fur we find 
recorded th.at on March 13th, lo78, the\- sold a strip of land 
extending- to the top of \\'atchung- Mountain for '"thirteen 
kans of rum." South (Grange real estate sold cheai) in those 
halcyon days. 

The Indians called New Jersey ■"Scheyichbi." The old 
State has since been called all kinds of hard names, but none 



•2 -A 



.\ REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 

quite so l)a(I as this. This appcllalioii was .s^ivcn to it In- a 
hyphenized trihr ..f In.hans, known as the Lcnni-Lenapes, 
who occupied il l)eforc the advent of the while men. These 
Indians were of a i)eaceal)le nature and <^-ot aloii^- very amic- 
ably w ith the whites. All that is left of these orioinal settlers 
is a tribe in the City of Newark wliich pcriodicallv meets at 
big- dinners, and at sundry outings. This tri1)e has none of 
the peacea])le characteristics of the ancient Lenni-Lenapes, as 
they engao-e in furious combat every fall at election time and 
are \-ery warlike — with ballots insteail of bullets, however. 

r.ut the Indians have all disapjieared from New |ersey 
Christian charity and love advanced too rapidly for these 
.sinijjle children of the wilds. They have only themselves to 
blame. They were too stupid and ])er\erse to see the errors 
of their ways and ])y their persistence in disbelieving the 
doctrines of their superit)rs. tell a prey to the fate of all who 
stubbornly refuse t() li>ten to reason and wantonb- reiect the 
truths expressed in the ])latitudes preached bv their self- 
appointed benefactors — but ne\er ])racticed b\- them. 




2.55 



A RKAl, HISTORY OF NEWARK 



ClIArTl'.R XfX. 



The Pessimist 





() C1T\' has o-()l a l)rii;'litcr future thau Xcwark. 
^ et there are pessimists who decry and disparat^'e 
it. lUil these cavillers are to he ])itied rather 
than condemned as indeed an\- pessimisticallv 
incHned misanthrope should l)e. In a husv cit\' 
like Newark there is no place for other than an 
optimist, tor in this age of wonder, no ohstruction is in\incihle. 
\\ hy >honld jies^imism pre\ail when wires and acid can waft 
speech across oceans, \\hen astronomers can weigh and 
measure worlds millions of miles awav, when heavv trains of 
cars can he ])ro[)elled o\er mountains ])\ the power ohtained 
from waterfalls along the tracks, when the sweet odors of 
dowers can he resurrected from the coal in which the\- were 
imbedded ages ago. when a boat can he made to travel 
thousands of miles under water, when a ship can be ])uilt to 
sail lhr(.iugh the air faster than the lleetesl bird can tly, when 
life can be restored when lost b\- suflocation. when a surgical 



2.-)G 



A kl' \l. liiST' 1K^• ( )|- XEWARK 



operation pcrlnrmrd uixm a criminal's skull can lranst-..nn 
a vicious character inlo an upri-ln citizen, when the I)irth(la\- 
anniversary of a hotelless city can hrin.-;- forth a two-million 
dollar hotel, the finest trolley ternnnal in the world, and a 
memorial Imilding second to none in the land: It is clear that 
the pessimist is out of place in our day, and in Newark in 
])articular. 

FamiHarity breeds conteni])t. Those most familiar with a 
Jocality are always prone to underestimate its advantages and 
are unreasonably jealous of outsiders wlio jKrceive opportuni- 
ties which the\- overlooked. I'.ut it is the stranger within the 
gates that usuall}- makes for progress. 

When the founders first landed on the banks of the 
Passaic they were warned oil the ground by the Indians, ikil 
the natives soon learned that these outsiders were their 
friends who would treat them honestly. Thex- paid for their 
land and jiaid t'or their furs, game and corn. 

When the f(.)unders were firmly established in their new 
homes they in turn wantefl no outsiders amongst them. The\- 
wanted only those of their own faith to dwell with them. In 
time they perceived the folly df this intolerance anrl when thev 
welcomed the outsider X'ewark began to grow. 




157 



A REAL HISTORY OF NEWARK 



The lowlv cniio-rant has made America what it is. He is 
usually looked ujxm with contempt by the natiA-e who ridicules 
his broken Ens^lish. his imported manners and customs. After 
a few rears, he in turn looks with disdain on the newcomer 
who has followed him. 

The strano^er, the emio-rant. the outsider, should jie wel- 
comed in every communit\' with open arms. He is the true 
optimist, who f|uickly sees the overlooked opportunities and 
at once proceeds to take advantage of them. He is ne\-er a 
pessimist. He inxariably Ijrings the spirit of enterprise with 
him. AA'elcnme him with o])en arms. Xewark. He is vour true 
mascot. AA'ork with him. Don't work against him. A\'elcome 
the enthusiastic newcomer and X'ewark will soon become one 
of the briglitest stars in Columbia's galaxv of great cities. 




258 



'T^mi'y^ 





IBRARY OF CONGRESS 



014 207 121 6^ 







'^n^M 



■ 



